affinity fraud

PP Blog Tag archives on references to "affinity fraud."

BULLETIN: George Theodule, HYIP Ponzi Huckster Identified In 2008 By SEC, Arrested On Criminal Charges

BULLETIN: George Theodule, HYIP Ponzi Huckster Identified In 2008 By SEC, Arrested On Criminal Charges

George Louis Theodule, identified by the SEC in a 2008 civil case as a multimillion-dollar Ponzi huckster and affinity fraudster largely targeting the Haitian community through so-called “investment clubs,” now has been arrested on criminal charges, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida said. Investors were duped into believing Theodule’s HYIP “program” through entities […]

SEC: Utah Ponzi Schemer With ‘Loans’ Program Ripped Off Church Associates, Family Members, Friends, Seniors — And Some Of The Money Went To ‘Multilevel Marketing And Web-Based Advertising Business Opportunities’; Separately, Newspaper Reports Allegations Of Cash Handoffs To Investors In Parking Lots

SEC: Utah Ponzi Schemer With 'Loans' Program Ripped Off Church Associates, Family Members, Friends, Seniors -- And Some Of The Money Went To 'Multilevel Marketing And Web-Based Advertising Business Opportunities'; Separately, Newspaper Reports Allegations Of Cash Handoffs To Investors In Parking Lots

In the latest affinity-fraud scheme detected in Utah, an Orem man conducted a $4 million offering fraud and Ponzi scheme aimed at church associates, family members and friends, including senior citizens and the “recent widow of a church associate” whom he volunteered to help with finances after she lost her husband, the SEC said. Some […]

UPDATE: Statue Of Jesus Christ Used In TelexFree Promo On YouTube

UPDATE: Statue Of Jesus Christ Used In TelexFree Promo On YouTube

Depictions of Jesus Christ were used in the Profitable Sunrise and the equally bizarre “Cash Tanker” HYIP schemes — and now are being used in promos for TelexFree, an MLM “opportunity” under investigation in Brazil amid pyramid-scheme and securities concerns. It looks as though the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro has […]

Philly Affinity Fraudster Traded On Coca-Cola’s Name And Ran Ponzi, Feds Say

Philly Affinity Fraudster Traded On Coca-Cola's Name And Ran Ponzi, Feds Say

EDITOR’S NOTE: Affinity fraud takes many forms. The case against Constant Damas appears to have been one that married an appeal to a common nationality to an appeal to the taste buds and brand recognition. Scammers often trade on the names of famous companies and individuals. And they often issue appeals to people of common […]

DIABOLICAL: Purported ‘Christian’ Enterprise With Purported Ties To Catholic Church Launches Spam Campaign For Purported ‘Loan’ Program And Bizarrely Tries To Sanitize It By Linking To PP Blog Story On Profitable Sunrise Scam

DIABOLICAL: Purported 'Christian' Enterprise With Purported Ties To Catholic Church Launches Spam Campaign For Purported 'Loan' Program And Bizarrely Tries To Sanitize It By Linking To PP Blog Story On Profitable Sunrise Scam

Is it channeling Profitable Sunrise as part of an affinity-fraud/identity-theft reload scam? An enterprise that bizarrely is calling itself  “ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC CHURCH LOAN FIRM” purports to have an office in England and appears to be targeting Catholics and Christians in general to be fleeced in a purported “loan” program. The spam/scam pitch begins, “I […]

FBI: Affinity Fraudster Sued By SEC Launched Follow-Up Scam; Shervin Neman Allegedly Paid Law Firm, Earlier Victims With Money From New Mark — And Then Wrote A Bad Check For $2.35 Million

FBI: Affinity Fraudster Sued By SEC Launched Follow-Up Scam; Shervin Neman Allegedly Paid Law Firm, Earlier Victims With Money From New Mark -- And Then Wrote A Bad Check For  $2.35 Million

Shervin Neman, the alleged affinity fraudster sued by the SEC last year in a Ponzi scheme targeted at the Persian-Jewish community, now has been arrested by the FBI in Los Angeles. Neman, 31, also is known as Shervin Davatgarzadeh, the FBI said. The Century City resident was arrested today on a three-count indictment charging him […]

Indiana Man Who Dressed As Pastor As Part Of Ponzi Swindle Sentenced To Prison; Bradley Collins Told Marks ‘He Only Worked With God-Fearing, Church Going People And Was Blessed To Be Blessing Potential Investors’

Indiana Man Who Dressed As Pastor As Part Of Ponzi Swindle Sentenced To Prison; Bradley Collins Told Marks 'He Only Worked With God-Fearing, Church Going People And Was Blessed To Be Blessing Potential Investors'

“[Bradley] Collins worked under the guise of a religious man and told his victims he only worked with God-fearing, church going people and was blessed to be blessing potential investors. His portrayal of a Christian man put many of his victims at ease, increasing the amount of funds they invested.” — Indiana Secretary of State […]

UPDATE: Louisiana Joins Growing List Of States That Have Issued Investor Alerts On ‘Profitable Sunrise’; [UPDATE: Tennessee, Too]

UPDATE: Louisiana Joins Growing List Of States That Have Issued Investor Alerts On 'Profitable Sunrise'; [UPDATE: Tennessee, Too]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information from Tennessee was received after this story was published. The Tennessee info is published in the Comments thread below . . . UPDATED 8:18 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) Louisiana has issued an Investor Alert on the Profitable Sunrise HYIP, joining a growing list of U.S. states and Canadian provinces to have done so. […]

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: KABOOM! 2 Connecticut Women Found Guilty In Cash-Gifting Pyramid Scheme

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: KABOOM! 2 Connecticut Women Found Guilty In Cash-Gifting Pyramid Scheme

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: (2ND UPDATE 6:44 P.M. ET U.S.A.) Both of the defendants on trial in federal court in Connecticut in a cash-gifting pyramid scheme known as Women’s Gifting Tables have been found guilty of wire fraud and filing false tax returns. The jury returned the verdicts against Jill Platt, 65, and Donna […]

NEW HAVEN REGISTER: Witness Says Alcoholics Anonymous Members Were Recruited For Cash-Gifting Scheme And That ‘Largest Conflict I’ve Ever Seen’ In AA Ensued

NEW HAVEN REGISTER: Witness Says Alcoholics Anonymous Members Were Recruited For Cash-Gifting Scheme And That 'Largest Conflict I’ve Ever Seen' In AA Ensued

EDITOR’S NOTE: In May 2012, the PP Blog reported that three women had been arrested on federal charges in Connecticut that flowed from an alleged cash-gifting pyramid scheme. One of the women has pleaded guilty. Two others now are on trial. Cash-gifting often is associated with affinity fraud. The alleged Connecticut scheme centered around women […]

BULLETIN: Now, An Affinity-Fraud Scheme Targeting Lebanese And Druze Communities, SEC Says; Agency Seeks Asset Freeze Against Firas Hamdan And FAH Capital Partners

BULLETIN: Now, An Affinity-Fraud Scheme Targeting Lebanese And Druze Communities, SEC Says; Agency Seeks Asset Freeze Against  Firas Hamdan And FAH Capital Partners

BULLETIN: The SEC has gone to federal court in Houston, alleging that Firas Hamdan was conducting an affinity-fraud scheme targeted at the Lebanese and Druze communities. The agency is seeking an asset freeze against Hamdan and his unregistered company, FAH Capital Partners Inc. The scheme is alleged to have gathered about $6 million over five […]