money laundering

The long arm of U.S. law — and the long memory of U.S. law enforcement — has resulted in the guilty plea in Southern Florida of a Colombian fugitive linked to the defunct Medellin cocaine cartel and the late Pablo Escobar. In 1989, federal prosecutors said, Sigifredo Maya directed a money courier to deliver $3 […]

BULLETIN: David A. Smith, who presided over a $220 million Forex fraud known as OLINT, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Smith, 41, is a citizen of Jamaica. He “executed a Ponzi scheme to defraud over 6,000 investors located in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere out […]

BULLETIN: Attorney Jonathan Star Bristol has been arrested by federal agents and is scheduled to make an appearance in Manhattan federal court this afternoon to face criminal charges of money-laundering amid allegations he helped convicted fraudster Kenneth Ira Starr siphon money from clients though an escrow fund. “Today’s indictment should serve as a reminder to […]

“The so-called ‘Bernie Madoff of Colombia’ now stands convicted of money-laundering . . .” — U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara BULLETIN: The Colombian mastermind of the D.M.G. Group (DMG) pyramid scheme has pleaded guilty in New York  to conspiring to launder drug money in the United States. David Eduardo Helmut Murcia Guzman (David Murcia) was extradited […]

When Nevin Shapiro was arrested in New Jersey for running a wholesale grocery scam in Florida, the FBI described the scheme as a “perfect example of greed run amok.” Shapiro, who was charged both criminally and civilly earlier this year after investigators uncovered his long-running Ponzi scheme, now has pleaded guilty to securities fraud and […]

First there was a bizarre political attack on President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a bid to drive business to a Florida-based, multilevel-marketing (MLM) firm known as MPB Today. Now, at least one promo that asks prospects to register for MPB Today is attacking Walmart. As affiliates of MPB Today continue to […]

Here is how Pathway To Prosperity (P2P), operated by Nicholas A. Smirnow, was described by members of the indefatigable, Ponzi-pushing ASA Monitor forum in 2007: “Just talked with Nick today on the phone,” one member said. “I always enjoy talking with him — honest and straightforward.” “This one is a WINNER,” another crowed. “People, you […]

BULLETIN: UPDATED 1:47 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) Federal prosecutors and the U.S. Secret Service have filed paperwork that says INetGlobal’s parent company — Inter-Mark Corp. — acquired a property in San Diego last year and intended to remodel it with proceeds from a Ponzi scheme. Records suggest the purchase price of the property was $595,000 and […]

UPDATED 6:57 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) The operator of the INetGlobal autosurf has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for income-tax evasion. Steve Renner also was ordered by U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank to cooperate with the IRS “in the assessment and payment of taxes still due,” federal prosecutors said. Renner was convicted in […]

The man who supplied debit cards to the AdSurfDaily autosurf is wanted by INTERPOL on an arrest warrant issued by U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, the international police agency says on its website. INTERPOL has published two photographs of Robert Hodgins, 65. People with information on Hodgins are urged to contact the […]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Autosurf or HYIP promoter? White-collar fraudster of another stripe? Fan of “stored value” debit devices used in the context of well-publicized,  fraudulent business models? Owner of a “shell” company used to disguise the ownership of funds? Figure you’re smarter than the cops and that you’ve perfected your form of deceit as you pocket […]