U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz

The staff of the Missouri Public Service Commission raised “grave concerns” that permitting TelexFree’s telecom registration to remain intact in the state could “assist in the perpetuation of a fraud on investors,” records show. Missouri approved the registration in March 2014. TelexFree applied for it the previous month, according to records. Those records included a […]

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: 10th Update 9:18 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) TelexFree figures James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The indictment, dated today, includes eight criminal counts of wire fraud and one criminal count of wire-fraud conspiracy. Among other things, the indictment alleged that Merrill and Wanzeler conspired […]

UPDATED 6:07 P.M. EDT U.S.A. A U.S. Magistrate Judge issued no immediate ruling today on a motion by TelexFree figure James Merrill to release $4 million to pay for his criminal defense. Instead, Judge David H. Hennessy will take the matter under advisement and issue an order later, according to the docket of the case. […]

BULLETIN: Federal prosecutors handling the criminal case against TelexFree figure and alleged co-owner James Merrill have asked a judge not to release $4 million Merrill says he needs to pay for his criminal defense. On July 1, Merrill asked for an evidentiary hearing aimed ultimately at securing “an order returning the identified funds” to him. […]

BULLETIN: (12th Update 9:50 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) In resisting former TelexFree President James Merrill’s latest bid to make bail in the criminal case against him, federal prosecutors said today that TelexFree “has a disturbingly cult-like quality.” Meanwhile, in separate action in the SEC’s civil case against TelexFree, the agency has accused alleged TelexFree pitchwoman Faith […]

UPDATED 11:49 A.M. EDT U.S.A. Katia Wanzeler, the wife of accused TelexFree Ponzi-schemer and alleged fugitive Carlos Wanzeler, no longer is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). Whether she has concluded an appearance before a federal grand jury in Massachusetts is unclear. If the appearance occurred, it is possible it was delayed […]

The FBI and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have established a website for individuals who believe they were defrauded by TelexFree, an alleged pyramid- and Ponzi scheme the Massachusetts Securities Division says gathered more than $1.2 billion. Here is a link to a statement by the FBI and DHS. The page includes a link […]

(UPDATED 11:30 A.M. EDT MAY 21 U.S.A. See Update at bottom of this brief, originally published May 20.) TelexFree figure James Merrill was unable to persuade a federal magistrate judge to free him, the PP Blog has learned. Judge David Hennessy declined Merrill’s bail application today, the office of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said moments […]

UPDATED 8:14 p.m. EDT U.S.A. James Merrill, the onetime president of TelexFree arrested and detained May 9 on wire-fraud conspiracy charges, was not freed at a bail hearing today and will remain in custody. “The judge took the matter under advisement,” the office of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts said early […]

BULLETIN: (6th update 6:10 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) There are reports on Twitter, citing a Boston Globe story, that the wife of accused TelexFree figure Carlos Wanzeler has been arrested at an airport. The office of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts confirmed the arrest to the PP Blog at 11:46 a.m., saying […]

In case you missed the big news yesterday, TelexFree figures James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler were charged criminally. Unofficially this brings the number of charged MLM HYIP “programs” (or clients) with links to MLM attorney Gerald Nehra to three in recent years. Nehra was an “expert witness” for AdSurfDaily in 2008. He testified that ASD, […]