Carlos Wanzeler

BULLETIN: (8TH UPDATE 3:57 P.M. EDT U.S.A.) James Merrill, the former president of the TelexFree Ponzi- and pyramid scheme, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman ordered the sentence, which was four years less than what prosecutors in the office of Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb of the […]

BULLETIN: Federal authorities have arrested a man and have found $20 million allegedly linked to TelexFree in a box spring in an apartment in Westborough, Mass. Agents have seized the cash and charged Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha, 28, with conspiring to commit money-laundering. Rocha may be a Brazilian national with ties to a nephew of TelexFree […]

UPDATED DEC. 22, 2016: The court has extended the claims deadline until March 15, 2017. Earlier story below . . . ** _____________** With the Dec. 31 filing deadline for TelexFree claims fast approaching, court-appointed Trustee Stephen B. Darr has asked the court to extend the deadline until March 15, 2017. Chief Bankruptcy Judge Melvin […]

If Brazil’s Federal Police wish to ask him about TelexFree’s involvement in wire fraud and an underlying conspiracy, James Merrill is required to provide a “complete and truthful proffer,” according to the terms of his plea agreement with U.S. prosecutors in Massachusetts. Merrill, 55, of Ashland, Mass., also is required to cooperate with U.S. agencies that […]

9TH UPDATE 2:08 P.M. EDT U.S.A. U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman’s calendar shows a plea hearing for TelexFree operator James Merrill at 2:30 p.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in Worcester, Mass. The Boston Globe, citing the “U.S. Attorney,” is reporting Merrill will plead guilty “to fraud and other charges.”  The Telegram & Gazette also is reporting […]

UPDATED 4:21 P.M. EDT U.S.A. With trial set to begin on Oct. 24, an eye-popping superseding indictment has been returned in Massachusetts federal court against TelexFree figures James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler. The indictment adds eight counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity and includes a money-laundering forfeiture allegation. Merrill […]

2ND UPDATE 6:27 P.M. EDT U.S.A. A government filing dated July 1 — a Friday before the long Independence Day weekend — says U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts “has been recused” from the prosecutions of TelexFree figures James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler. The document does not say why Ortiz no longer […]

UPDATED 11:14 A.M. EDT U.S.A. TelexFree Trustee Stephen B. Darr has requested a stay in the lawsuit against MLM attorney Gerald Nehra, the Nehra and Waak law firm and certain other individuals or entities accused civilly of helping the judicially declared Ponzi- and pyramid scheme gain a head of steam. “The Trustee seeks this stay […]

UPDATED 11:53 A.M. EDT U.S.A. Sept. 23, 2016: The claims deadline has been extended until Dec. 31, 2016, at 4:30 p.m. Prevailing Eastern Time. Claims must be filed through TelexFreeClaims.com. Our earlier story is below . . . **____________** TelexFree participants and others who may have a claim against the estate should read this important notice […]

URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: (6th Update 8 p.m. EDT U.S.A.) TelexFree Trustee Stephen B. Darr has sued MLM attorney Gerald Nehra and the Nehra and Waak law firm, alleging they were “actively involved” in promoting TelexFree’s Ponzi scheme and “duping” participants. Nehra and the firm have asked for more time to respond to the April 1 complaint, […]

On April 20, the PP Blog reported that TelexFree Trustee Stephen B. Darr had proposed to add dozens of U.S. defendants to a class-action lawsuit that seeks the return of gains from alleged “winners” in the judicially declared Ponzi- and pyramid scheme. Filings docketed on April 22 show that Darr also is seeking to add […]