Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Executive Of Axact In $140 Million Diploma Mill Scam Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field…

Small Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Bankruptcy Fraud Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph J.M. Orabona (619)546-7951 or Michael Heyman (619) 546-9615 NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 19, 2016 SAN DIEGO – Phillip E. Southwood, Jr., a 50-year-old former owner of Southwood Industries, Inc., a holding company for Jefferson Liquor in Poway, was sentenced in federal…

Three Romanian nationals indicted in cyber fraud case in which they infected 60,000 computers, sent out 11 million malicious emails and stole at least $4 million A 21-count indictment was unsealed in which three Romanian nationals were charged for operating a cyber fraud conspiracy in which they infected 60,000 computers, sent out 11 million malicious…

Real Estate Brokers And Client Charged With Defrauding Banks In ‘Shotgun’ Loan Scheme NEWARK, N.J. – Two real estate brokers and a client were arrested today and charged in connection with a scheme to use bogus information and simultaneous loan applications at multiple banks to fraudulently obtain home equity lines of credit, a practice known…

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Colleyville Businessman on Mail Fraud Stemming from Ponzi Oil and Gas Fraud Scheme Defendant Operated Signal Oil and Gas Company FORT WORTH, Texas — A Colleyville, Texas, businessman, James VanBlaricum, who operated an oil and gas exploration company, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Fort Worth, Texas, on…

Former Bank President Indicted in Connection with $100,000,000 Bank Failure Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – Yesterday, a federal grand jury returned a 23-count indictment against JOHN ARNOLD SHELLEY, 66, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in connection with the failure of the Bank of Union, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.  The…

Managing Partner of Bulk Mail Firm Admits Defrauding U.S. Postal Service of Nearly $750K Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge for the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, today announced that ROBERT KUSS, 54, of Cheshire, waived his right to be indicted…

Argentine Sports Marketing Company Admits To Role In International Soccer Bribery Conspiracy And Agrees To $112 Million In Forfeiture And Criminal Penalties Torneos y Competencias S.A. Enters Into Four-Year Deferred Prosecution Agreement; Agrees to Enhanced Internal Controls and Compliance Obligations Earlier today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York filed a…

California Man Pleads Guilty to Perpetrating Trademark Scam and Money Laundering Associate Pleads Guilty to Helping Launder Proceeds of Scam LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man who masterminded a $1.66 million mass-mailing scam targeting trademark applicants pleaded guilty today to charges of mail fraud and money laundering, and his associate pleaded guilty to helping…

Stratos Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison He Defrauded Victims of Over $30M Through Multiple Schemes and Obstructed Justice SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Troy David Stratos, 50, formerly of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 21 years and 10 months in prison for multiple counts of mail…

Gabonese National Pleads Guilty To Foreign Bribery Scheme The Son of a Former Prime Minister of Gabon Bribed High-Ranking Government Officials in Multiple African Countries to Obtain Uranium Concessions and Other Mining Rights Samuel Mebiame, a Gabonese national and the son of a former Prime Minister of Gabon, pleaded guilty earlier today in Brooklyn federal…

Arrest And Indictment Of Seven Individuals For Social Security Fraud SAN JUAN, P.R. – On December 6, 2016, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned five separate Indictments charging seven individuals with fraud against the Social Security Administration (SSA) disability insurance benefits in Puerto Rico, announced United States Attorney for the…

Chief Executive of Florida-Based Financial Firm Guilty of Fraud in $179 Million Sham Loan Scheme CHICAGO — The CEO of a Florida-based financial firm has pleaded guilty to fraud charges in connection with the sale of $179 million in sham loans to a Milwaukee investment company. NIKESH A. PATEL was the Chief Executive Officer of…

Canadian Deputy Health Minister Impersonator Sentenced To 60 Months’ Imprisonment In $26 Million Fraud Scheme BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, Howard Leventhal, the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of mHealth Technologies Corp., formerly named Neovision USA, Inc. (Neovision), was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 60 months’ imprisonment. …

CEO of publicly traded company along with two others sent to federal prison Defrauded biodiesel purchasers and shareholders INDIANAPOLIS – United States Attorney Josh Minkler and Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced today the sentencing of two individuals who defrauded investors and biodiesel purchases…