Florida Office of Financial Regulation

PP Blog Tag archives on references to "Florida Office of Financial Regulation."

In Face Of Clawback Action And Warnings On Bitcoin Scams, Zeek Figure And Florida ‘ExPat’ T. LeMont Silver Offers ‘BitClubNetwork’ Mark Bonus Of More Than 3 Times What He Pays His Dominican Maid — And Uses Address In Money-Laundering Haven

“The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) warns consumers of the potential risks associated with purchasing, investing in, and exchanging virtual currencies, such as bitcoin. Members of the U.S. Congress, federal and state regulatory authorities, are continuing to question a way forward with respect to these diverse and decentralized payment mechanisms. Mt. Gox, an international […]

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 […]

CURRENT NUMBER: [35]: Tally (Unofficial) Of States And Provinces Filing Actions Or Issuing Investor Alerts Against Profitable Sunrise

UPDATED 8:52 A.M. EDT (APRIL 16, U.S.A.) See related stories here (April 1) and here (March 25). EDITOR’S NOTE: These numbers are unofficial. They are culled from media reports and/or news releases from enforcement agencies. As the PP Blog reported yesterday, the Profitable Sunrise website appears to be down. The reason why is unclear, although […]

3 PONZI/FRAUD CAPSULES: (1) Washington State Woman Jailed In Alleged $126 Million Ponzi Scheme; (2) Charity, Church, Investors In Metro Washington, D.C., Allegedly Scammed In $27M Ponzi; (3) South Florida Man Sentenced To More Than 12 Years In $29.5M ‘Gold’ Scam

EDITOR’S NOTE: This information is presented in the form of briefs, with links to external sources. 1.) Doris E. Nelson, arrested/jailed in Spokane, Wash., region, last week after federal raid in April 2010. SEC filed civil charges in September 2011. The allegations against Nelson and multiple companies in Nevada, Utah and Canada are alarming, but […]

David R. Lewalski Pleads Guilty In $30 Million Botfly LLC Ponzi Caper; Case Had ASD-Like Twists, Including Efforts To Demonize Government; Attorney Seeking Relief For Victims Was Called Vile Name

UPDATED: 3:07 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) David R. Lewalski, a Florida man who ran a $30 million Forex Ponzi scheme through a firm known as Botfly LLC, has pleaded guilty in federal court in the Middle District of Florida. Lewalski, 47, formerly resided in Gainesville. Parts of the Botfly case are reminiscent of the AdSurfDaily case. […]

FLORIDA — AGAIN: Postal Inspectors Say Recidivist Felon With 24 Bank Accounts And Undisclosed Criminal History Bilked Investors In $20 Million Scam; James Risher Arrested Before He Could Take Flight To Bermuda

A recidivist securities felon tied to at least 24 bank accounts had an airline ticket for Bermuda last week but was arrested in Florida before he could get offshore after scamming investors in a long-running fraud scheme that had gathered $20 million, according to law-enforcement officials. Charged in a criminal complaint by the U.S. Postal […]

KABOOM! CFTC/FTC Cases Against American Precious Metals LLC Were Part Of Broader Effort By New Task Force Operating In South Florida; Feds, State Throw Down Gauntlet Against Scammers

Kaboom! It turns out that the cases announced this week against American Precious Metals LLC (APM) by the CFTC and FTC were part of a geographically localized law-enforcement initiative that sprouted from “Operation Broken Trust,” a major national initiative undertaken last year by the U.S. Department of Justice and partner agencies as part of the […]

FLORIDA — AGAIN: State, Local Authorities Say Marguerite Martial Jean Ripped Off Hundreds Of Haitian-Americans In Affinity-Fraud And Ponzi Caper That Targeted Churchgoers

Marguerite Martial Jean has been arrested in Florida on felony charges of operating a $3.4 million Ponzi scheme that targeted Haitian-Americans and churchgoers in the Sunshine State. Florida has been plagued by Ponzi schemes and other forms of financial fraud. The announcement of Jean’s arrest was made by Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. […]

FLORIDA — AGAIN: Man Arrested Amid Allegations He Swindled Investors In ‘Yogurt-Based Product To Re-Grow Hair’; Joseph P. Fox Of Telogenesis Inc. Was Recidivist Offender, State Says

A Florida man who served jail time in an earlier scheme in California has been arrested by the Miami Beach Police Department and agents from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), amid allegations he swindled investors in a “yogurt-based product to re-grow hair,” OFR said. Joseph P. Fox, president of Telogenesis Inc. of Miami […]

BULLETIN: Another Ponzi Scheme In South Florida; SEC Alleges $28 Million Fraud Against Trade-LLC

A Florida company — Trade-LLC — and its operators have been accused of running a $28 million Ponzi scheme that fleeced members of three investment clubs. Named defendants by the SEC were Trade-LLC and its managing members, Philip W. Milton and William Center. The scam operated in the Palm Beach Gardens area, and affected more […]

BULLETIN: Florida Office Of Financial Regulation Opens Probe Into PPE-Life; Firm Also Under Investigation In South Carolina Amid Allegations It Sold Unregistered Securities

A company under investigation in South Carolina amid allegations it sold unregistered securities now is under investigation in Florida. The Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) confirmed the probe into PPE-Life this morning. â€œOFR has an open investigation [regarding] PPE-Life and its principals at this time and cannot go into any additional details,” said Flora […]