Serial Fraudster Pleads Guilty to Investment Advisor Fraud and Money Laundering
United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the guilty plea of RANDY MILAND, 62, for operating a Ponzi scheme through which he stole or attempted to steal more than $500,000 from purported investors. MILAND pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, Minn.
“Randy Miland is a serial scam artist who has had a long career of defrauding his victims with false claims that he would use their money for legitimate investments,” said Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman. “He may once have worked as a chiropractor, but his real profession has been operating Ponzi schemes to steal people’s money. The Commerce Fraud Bureau worked with federal authorities to stop Miland’s criminal activities and prevent even more Minnesotans from being ripped off by him.”
“Today’s guilty plea of Randy Miland demonstrates how law enforcement cooperatively works together to help put an end to the criminal behavior of those who prey on investors for their personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Shea Jones of St. Paul Field Office IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Special Agents will continue to use their financial expertise to identify and trace laundered funds in these types of investor fraud schemes.”
“Despite two prior convictions, Randy Miland continued to steal from friends and acquaintances through lies and misrepresentations,” said Assistant United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “The Minnesota Department of Commerce and Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS worked together to investigate this case and put an end to Miland’s fraudulent conduct.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea, between 2010 and 2014, MILAND fraudulently solicited approximately $575,000 from investors, telling them that he would use their money to invest in futures and other legitimate investments. Instead, he used their money to pay personal expenses, including court-ordered restitution to victims of his prior scams, and to make Ponzi-type payments to other purported investors.
MILAND concealed from the new victims that he had been twice convicted of fraudulent conduct, that he was forbidden by the Minnesota Department of Commerce from offering or selling securities, and that he still owed more than $1.5 million in restitution to victims of prior schemes.
MILAND was convicted in 1999 in state court of theft by swindle and ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution to the victims of his scheme. As of May 2016, MILAND still owed to the victims nearly the entire amount.
MILAND was convicted in 2006 in federal court of fraud and ordered to pay more than $250,000 in restitution to the victims. As of May 2016, MILAND owed approximately $124,000 in restitution.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS and the Minnesota Department of Commerce Fraud Bureau.
Defendant Information:
RANDY MILAND, 62
White Bear Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
• Mail fraud, 1 count
• Money laundering, 1 count