INCREDIBLE: Yet Another Florida Man Indicted In Alleged Ponzi Scheme; Prosecutors Say Sean Healy Of Weston Bought A Bentley And ‘Several Ferraris’
There has been nonstop news about Florida Ponzi schemes in the past 48 hours. Several indictments have been announced, the latest involving Sean Healy of Weston.
Healy, 38, was charged in a 55-count indictment unsealed in Pennsylvania with multiple counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors said Healy “spent the money to fund a lavish lifestyle.”
Purchases included “numerous exotic vehicles and sport cars, including a Bentley and several Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches worth over $2.3 million,” prosecutors said.
Obstruction of justice was charged because Healy thwarted a grand jury by providing “phony bank statements and phony trading records, indicating that the Pennsylvania investor’s money was used for legitimate trading activity in stocks and commodities,” prosecutors said.
“When the authentic records were obtained, they revealed that Healy had simply spent the money on his extravagant lifestyle and used some of it to pay back earlier investors who he defrauded between 2003 and 2008,” prosecutors said.
The grand-jury probe began in March, after an investor who had been scammed in Pennsylvania sued Healy and his wife, Shalese Rania Healy, in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida, alleging that Pennsylvania investors had lost $14.6 million with Healy between April 2008 and February 2009.
In July, the SEC and CFTC sued Healy in a case that alleged massive fraud. Also named in the complaints was Healy’s company, Sand Dollar Investing Partners LLC. Healy’s wife was named a relief defendant, meaning investigators believed she had received ill-gotten gains from the scheme.
CFTC said investor funds also were used to purchase gold bullion and “to lease a luxury suite at Miami’s BankAtlantic Arena.”
The sky was the limit, said an SEC official.
“Rather than investing the money as he promised, Sean Healy used investor funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle for himself and his family,†said Antonia Chion, associate director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.
The July complaint by the SEC also alleged that Healy provided false information to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, which brought the obstruction charges and the other charges. The indictment was unsealed yesterday in Harrisburg, Pa.
Dennis Pfannenschmidt, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, cataloged the spectacular purchases Healy allegedly made with investors’ funds.
In addition to the automobles, Healy also bought a $2.4 million waterfront mansion furnished with more than $2 million of home improvements, plus $1.5 million in men’s and women’s jewelry, Pfannenschmidt’s office said.
Florida is no longer referred to as the “SUNSHINE STATE”….it is now called the “PONZI STATE”
Come to Florida on Vacation..
Leave on Probation!
I bet Andy is really worried, maybe that’s why he hired a good lawyer.
Jack….I hate to agree with you but you are correct! There are a lot of ‘con artists’ in Florida……for 3 reasons. 1. There are a lot of retirees down here and 2. The weather is nice 3. You can drive your Ferrari, Bentley, or Rolls year round so you don’t get any salt on it! It’s all about GREED!!! These people have stolen millions from people who probably earned their money honestly to make themselves feel like they are important in our society (which their NOT) by treating themselves to luxuries which they are NOT entitled to. Mike Riolo was just sentenced to 24 years in prison for his Ponzi which lasted for 9 years and one has to wonder why it took so long when Bowdoin lasted one year….. but then again look at Madoff! Why do they have the balls to even stick around when they know sooner or later they will get caught? What pissed off the ASD Regime was that they got caught before they were able to create LARGER overseas accounts to hide their money…and….anybody that still thinks ASD was legitimate are just a bunch of GUMBAS!!!! I have lakefront property for sale in the Everglades!
Utah, specifically Salt Lake City, is worse and usually leads Florida by a substantial margin, relatively speaking.
A believer would never scam a fellow believer, would they? Nah.
Actually, I have seen interviews with scammers and, often, their first rule is to join a church. Why? It’s the only place where trust is implicit. Those who wouldn’t give you a dollar on the street suspend their skepticism when asked to participate by a fellow believer.
The SEC & other DA’s should also look into Mr Healy’s previous company in Florida called Dark Dog Energy Drink. Fraud there as well.
These people have stolen millions from people who probably earned their money honestly to make themselves feel like they are important in our society (which their NOT) by treating themselves to luxuries which they are NOT entitled to
Paul, thank you for a magnificent description of a con artist.
Your whole post says it all.
[…] the Rothstein case came on the Feds’ radar screen last month, there was the case of Sean Healy. It, too, has a Florida tie, although the prosecution occurred in […]