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Tag: Hawaii Ponzi schemes

  • HAWAII REPORTER: Man Indicted In Investment Scheme Allegedly Claimed To Be A ‘United Nations Ambassador’

    recommendedreading1The Hawaii Reporter and other media outlets are reporting that Curtis Wayne Ross of Honolulu has been indicted on wire-fraud charges in an investment scheme in which he allegedly claimed to be a well-connected multimillionaire and a “United Nations ambassador” with special tax privileges.

    From the Reporter (italics added):

    “Ross was neither a UN ambassador with special tax privileges nor a multimillionaire investor with international trade connections, according to federal court records.”

    Four investors allegedly got scammed for a total of $167,000, amid claims that Ross lured them in with claims he could provide “high yielding returns of between 17 percent and 400 percent,” the publication reported.

    Claims about special tax privileges and diplomatic connections sometimes have been associated with the “sovereign citizens movement.” Whether Ross is an adherent to “sovereign” poppycock is unclear.

    Some “sovereign citizens” have declared themselves office-holders or diplomats immune to arrest.

    In 2012, purported “sovereign citizen” Monty Ervin was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in a scheme involving bogus trusts. Ervin earlier had declared himself “governor” of Alabama in its “original jurisdiction” and a “Most Christian Prince.”

    Earlier this week, purported “sovereign citizen” James Timothy “Tim” Turner — the purported “President” of a purported government known as the “Republic for the united States of America” (RuSA), was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison in a bizarre tax scam.

    Ross has been issued a summons to appear in court. The AP is reporting that the FBI says he “moved away from Hawaii and is believed to be living in Atlanta.”

  • FBI Offers Up To $10,000 Reward For Info Leading To Capture Of Accused Ponzi Schemer And International Fugitive Peter Heckman

    These photos of Petyer Heckman were taken in 2009, the FBI says.
    These photos of Peter Heckman were taken in 2009, the FBI says.

    A German national who allegedly conducted a Ponzi scheme in Hawaii and then fled to Indonesia is the subject of an FBI manhunt.

    Peter Heckman, 63, ran a Ponzi scheme in which he promised investors “guaranteed returns of 10 to 15 percent for terms as short as two weeks,” the FBI said. The scam allegedly fetched at least $1.2 million, and Heckman was indicted on seven counts of wire fraud in 2007.

    But Heckman knew that he was under investigation and “fled Hawaii immediately prior to his indictment,” the FBI said, noting it now was offering a “reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Heckman’s capture.”

    In 2010, the agency tracked him to Indonesia, where “he was operating a recording studio and had launched a record label producing albums for musical artists in the Philippines and Indonesia.”

    Heckman once operated a “failing recording studio” on the Hawaii island Kauai, the FBI said.

    From the FBI (italics added):

    Peter Heckman is 63 years old, 5’7” tall, 200 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. He is a German national who often uses the first name “Hans” and sometimes spells his last name “Heckmann” to mask his true identity while marketing his recording production services.

    Heckman’s Wanted poster notes he uses these aliases: Peter Hans Heckman, Peter Hans Heckmann, Peter Heckmann, Peter Heck, Hans Heckman, Hans Heckmann, Hans Peter Heckman, H.P. Heckman, H.P. Heckmann.

    “Anyone recognizing Heckman or having information as to his current location is asked to call the Honolulu FBI at 808-566-4300,” the agency said.