Victim of the alleged AdSurfDaily autosurf Ponzi scheme? Want the latest information about claims and how the proposed restitution program is shaping up?
The Department of Justice has established a special telephone number for the ASD case. By calling the number, you’ll hear a recording that updates members on developments in the case, which involves ASD, Golden Panda Ad Builder and LaFuenteDinero.
Here is the phone number: 202-616-2420
“The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will update this message on a regular basis,” the Justice Department said.
Prosecutors also have updated an informational website. Here is the URL:
http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/Victim_Witness_Assistance/adsurfdaily.html
The site includes a page for Frequently Asked Questions. The FAQ page can be accessed by clicking on a link. Look for a list of bullet points on the page you’ll visit by clicking on the link above. The FAQ link currently is at the bottom of the list of bullet points. The headline for the FAQs is “Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.”
The page answers these questions:
- Why did the government get involved in Ad Surf Daily, Golden Panda, Ad CashGenerator, and La Fuente Dinero?
- Why is the U.S. Secret Service involved?
- What is a forfeiture case?
- How much money has the government recovered from Ad Surf Daily and related schemes?
- How did the government recover money from Ad Surf Daily and related operations?
- Will the forfeited funds be distributed to people who were defrauded in these schemes?
- How long will it take to distribute the forfeited money to victims?
- Why will the claims process take so long?
- Will victims recover their full losses?
- What are the next steps in the process?
- Where can I get more information and keep up to date?
Here is the answer to the question, “Will the forfeited funds be distributed to people who were defrauded in these schemes?”
Yes. Money that has been declared forfeited will be returned to victims of the schemes through a process called “remission.†Remission occurs when forfeited assets are returned to the victims of a crime underlying a forfeiture. The remission process is governed by the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 28, Part 9 (2009). When forfeiture is ordered by a federal court, authority to grant remission rests with the United States Attorney General. This authority has been delegated to the Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section (AFMLS), which is located in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice. AFMLS will manage the remission process, and other agencies involved in the case, including the U.S. Secret Service, as well as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, will have a role in the remission process.
Here is the answer to the question, “Will victims recover their full losses?”
Because the total value of the seized assets is less than the estimated member losses, it is unlikely that members will receive full compensation for their losses. Accordingly, each member will receive a pro-rata share of the forfeited money based upon his or her loss amount. The exact amount of each person’s recovery will not be known until the claims review process is completed.