UPDATE: John Chiyuan Lee, Scammer Whose Case Shattered Ponzi-Board Myth, Sentenced To California State Prison And Ordered To Make Restitution
In fleeing to Thailand, becoming a fugitive listed by INTERPOL and leaving dozens of U.S. victims in his wake when his Ponzi scheme collapsed, John Chiyuan Lee shattered the Ponzi-forum myth that “offshore equals safe.” “Safe — for a while while INTERPOL is beaming your picture 24/7 and U.S. authorities at the local, state and [...]
ANOTHER MYTH-BUSTING CASE: On The Lam From Greater Los Angeles For 5 Years, Ponzi Fugitive John Chiyuan Lee Arrested In Thailand And Extradited To The United States
One of the enduring myths of the Ponzi boards — “offshore equals safe” — has been shattered again. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says it got its man — with help from the government of Thailand, the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Ponzi scheme suspect John Chiyuan Lee became [...]
URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: Paranoia-Maker: FBI Undercover Sting In Florida Leads To Criminal, Civil Charges Against 5 In Alleged Penny-Stock Capers; Agents Established ‘Phony’ Consulting Company
URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: An undercover sting by the FBI in Florida has led to criminal and civil charges against five alleged penny-stock fraudsters in Florida, Texas, Nevada and California. The sting featured a phony “consulting” company created by the FBI, authorities said. News about the make-believe consultancy followed on the heels of news [...]
FLORIDA — AGAIN: Postal Inspectors Say Recidivist Felon With 24 Bank Accounts And Undisclosed Criminal History Bilked Investors In $20 Million Scam; James Risher Arrested Before He Could Take Flight To Bermuda
A recidivist securities felon tied to at least 24 bank accounts had an airline ticket for Bermuda last week but was arrested in Florida before he could get offshore after scamming investors in a long-running fraud scheme that had gathered $20 million, according to law-enforcement officials. Charged in a criminal complaint by the U.S. Postal [...]
BULLETIN: OLINT’S David A. Smith Pleads Guilty In $220 Million Ponzi Scheme; International Forex Caper Laundered $128 Million, Feds Say
BULLETIN: David A. Smith, who presided over a $220 million Forex fraud known as OLINT, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Smith, 41, is a citizen of Jamaica. He “executed a Ponzi scheme to defraud over 6,000 investors located in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere out [...]
URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: Deputy U.S. Marshal Shot And Killed In West Virginia Attack; 2 Others Wounded; Assailant Killed By Return Gunfire
BULLETIN: A deputy U.S. marshal was shot and killed this morning while serving an arrest warrant in a drug case at a home in Elkins, W. Va., a law-enforcement official said. Two other deputy marshals were wounded in the attack. Their conditions were not immediately known. Charles E. Smith, the alleged assailant, reportedly was killed [...]
BULLETIN: Florida — Again: Multiagency Probe Leads To Federal Criminal Charges Against 9 People In Interconnected Ponzi And Fraud Schemes
BULLETIN: An investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Miami Police Department has led to criminal charges against nine defendants in three Florida fraud schemes that allegedly were interconnected. Seven of the defendants were indicted. Two others were charged via criminal information, and the [...]
BREAKING NEWS: OLINT Boss David A. Smith Extradited To United States From Turks And Caicos Islands; Faces Charges In Spectacular Forex-Fraud Case In Orlando Region
BULLETIN: Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) traveled to the Turks And Caicos Islands to take accused Ponzi schemer David A. Smith into custody. Smith has been transported to the United States and is jailed in Florida. Smith, who was serving a prison term in the islands for fraud and conspiracy, became the [...]
KABOOM! Feds Release Info On ‘Alpha Trade Group’ Forex Scheme With Ties To Mexico, Panama; Records Suggest Scheme Was Collapsing Even Prior To Promos On TalkGold, MoneyMakerGroup Forums
Yet another HYIP scheme pushed on the TalkGold and MoneyMakerGroup forums has been outlined by federal prosecutors — this time in Florida. The name of the scheme was Alpha Trade Group (ATG), and web records show that the scheme was pitched on TalkGold and MoneyMakerGroup beginning on Oct. 7, 2009. Court records, meanwhile, show that [...]