TelexFree

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 […]

A “program” known as ViziNova was both a cross-border pyramid scheme and a reload scam aimed at victims of the WCM777 online debacle, the SEC says. VizaNova, which gathered at least $5 million, invaded the Asian-American and Hispanic-American communities and was partly focused at Brazilians, the SEC said. A PP Blog report in June 2014 […]

Fifteen TelexFree figures have been linked to a money-laundering scheme in Brazil, according to the Federal Public Ministry of Espírito Santo (MPF/ES). Among those linked were TelexFree principals Carlos Wanzeler and Carlos Costa and their wives, MPF/ES said today. Katia Wanzeler, Wanzeler’s wife, is believed still to be residing in the United States. U.S. prosecutors […]

BULLETIN: TelexFree Trustee Stephen B. Darr has moved for assessments of damage and default judgments against dozens of alleged overseas “winners” in the massive Ponzi- and pyramid scheme. The motion before Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Melvin S. Hoffman of the District of Massachusetts asks for millions of dollars from about 33 TelexFree promoters with non-U.S. […]

Federal prosecutors have Tweeted a photo of $20 million allegedly found stuffed in a box spring and linked to the massive TelexFree Ponzi- and pyramid caper. The cash was found Jan. 4 by the Homeland Security Investigations branch of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Agents seized […]

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 […]

DISCLOSURE: The PP Blog is a Google publisher. A bogus cover of Forbes magazine circulating on Facebook depicts SEC Ponzi defendant Charles Scoville of Traffic Monsoon as the “BEST” CEO of 2016 — all while misspelling his last name. The image, which falsely showcases the Forbes’ issue as a “LIMITED EDITION,” appears today on the […]

UPDATED 1:56 P.M. ET U.S.A. TelexFree figure Sann Rodrigues could have been sentenced to 10 years for immigration fraud. Instead, he was sentenced yesterday to time served. The office of U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts said early this afternoon that Rodrigues ended up spending 57 days behind bars after his May […]

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 […]

3RD UPDATE 2:56 P.M. EDT OCT 25 U.S.A. James Merrill, the president of TelexFree, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy in Massachusetts federal court. Merrill, 55, of Ashland, Mass., is scheduled to be sentenced in February. “The significance of a guilty plea in a case of this magnitude cannot […]