Latest news with #wireFraud
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
UK man indicted in alleged $99M wine fraud scheme that left investors high and dry
A man from the United Kingdom was arraigned Friday in Brooklyn federal court after being charged with running a $99 million money laundering scheme through a faux wine company. James Wellesley, 56, was arraigned after his extradition from the U.K., where he and co-defendant Stephen Burton, 58, were arrested in 2022. The two are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in an alleged scheme perpetrated through Bordeaux Cellars, a company Wellesley and Burton operated. The indictment alleges that from at least June 2017 through February 2019, Wellesley and Burton posed as executives at Bordeaux Cellars, soliciting investors in New York and at investor conferences in the U.S. and overseas. Wellesley and Burton told investors Bordeaux Cellars brokered loans between investors and wealthy wine collectors that would be fully collateralized by high-value collections of wine, according to court documents. They also allegedly promised that investors would receive regular interest payments from the borrowers and that Bordeaux Cellars would keep custody of the wine, securing the loans while the loans were outstanding. Prosecutors claim the "high-net-worth wine collectors" did not exist, and Bordeaux Cellars did not have the wine that was supposedly securing the loans. Instead, Wellesley and Burton used the money they made from incoming loans to make fraudulent interest payments to investors and for their own personal expenses, resulting in $99 million in misdirected funds, according to court documents. "Today's arraignment sends a message to all perpetrators of global fraud schemes that my office will work tirelessly to ensure they answer for crimes committed in the United States," United States Attorney Joseph Nocella wrote in a statement. "We will not rest in our efforts to seek justice for victims of fraud." Ricky Patel, HSI New York special agent in charge, accused the duo of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from collectors. "James Wellesley and his coconspirator are accused of masterminding their nearly $100 million international fraud scheme that exploited the unsuspecting public, including New Yorkers, for their own selfish enrichment," Patel said. "As alleged, the defendants claimed Bordeaux Cellars boasted a high-value wine stockpile and a clientele of 'high-net-worth wine collectors' and, in turn, profited handsomely, all while they swindled investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more." Burton was extradited from Morocco in 2023 and is awaiting trial. Wellesley was ordered detained pending trial. If convicted, the pair face up to 20 years in prison.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of running Canada's largest grandparent scam network arrested in Quebec
Gareth West, the alleged leader of a network of grandparent scammers accused of defrauding $30 million from American seniors, has been arrested. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested him in Quebec on Friday on behalf of American investigators who have charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit to money laundering, an RCMP spokesperson confirmed to CBC. Last month, CBC published a story detailing West's alleged criminal activity. Investigators allege he ran a lucrative and complex grandparent scam network that employed dozens of people out of multiple Montreal-area call centres. Meanwhile, West presented himself as a wealthy real estate developer. Read that article here: Last year, police raided locations across the Montreal area where West's alleged employees were found making scam calls to elderly victims in Virginia, according to information in an indictment filed in U.S. court. Then, in early March, RCMP officers arrested 23 people accused of participating in the scam. But West eluded them for several months. A source with knowledge of the situation who requested to remain confidential said West had been staying at a house in Burlington, Ont., in early March. But, when police went to that house, West wasn't there because it was being renovated. He was staying in a nearby rental home, the source said, but when officers arrived there, he was gone. WATCH | CBC's investigation into Gareth West: One other alleged member of the scam network, Jimmy Ylimaki, remains on the run. If extradited to the U.S. and convicted, West could face up to 40 years in prison. West will appear in Quebec Superior Court on Saturday.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Man accused of running Canada's largest grandparent scam network arrested in Quebec
Gareth West, the alleged leader of a network of grandparent scammers accused of defrauding $30 million from American seniors, has been arrested. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested him in Quebec on Friday on behalf of American investigators who have charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit to money laundering, an RCMP spokesperson confirmed to CBC. Last month, CBC published a story detailing West's alleged criminal activity. Investigators allege he ran a lucrative and complex grandparent scam network that employed dozens of people out of multiple Montreal-area call centres. Meanwhile, West presented himself as a wealthy real estate developer. Read that article here: Last year, police raided locations across the Montreal area where West's alleged employees were found making scam calls to elderly victims in Virginia, according to information in an indictment filed in U.S. court. Then, in early March, RCMP officers arrested 23 people accused of participating in the scam. But West eluded them for several months. A source with knowledge of the situation who requested to remain confidential said West had been staying at a house in Burlington, Ont., in early March. But, when police went to that house, West wasn't there because it was being renovated. He was staying in a nearby rental home, the source said, but when officers arrived there, he was gone. WATCH | CBC's investigation into Gareth West: One other alleged member of the scam network, Jimmy Ylimaki, remains on the run. If extradited to the U.S. and convicted, West could face up to 40 years in prison. West will appear in Quebec Superior Court on Saturday.
CBC
04-07-2025
- CBC
Man accused of running Canada's largest grandparent scam network arrested in Quebec
Gareth West, the alleged leader of a network of grandparent scammers accused of defrauding $30 million from American seniors, has been arrested. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested him in Quebec on Friday on behalf of American investigators who have charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit to money laundering, an RCMP spokesperson confirmed to CBC. Last month, CBC published a story detailing West's alleged criminal activity. Investigators allege he ran a lucrative and complex grandparent scam network that employed dozens of people out of multiple Montreal-area call centres. Meanwhile, West presented himself as a wealthy real estate developer. Last year, police raided locations across the Montreal area where West's alleged employees were found making scam calls to elderly victims in Virginia, according to information in an indictment filed in U.S. court. Then, in early March, RCMP officers arrested 23 people accused of participating in the scam. But West eluded them for several months. A source with knowledge of the situation who requested to remain confidential said West had been staying at a house in Burlington, Ont., around that time. WATCH | CBC's investigation into Gareth West: How CBC investigated an alleged grandparent scam mogul 13 days ago Duration 4:22 Gareth West lived a life of luxury. He said he made his money from buying and selling real estate in Montreal and southern Ontario. Now, he's been charged with orchestrating a $30-million scam network. When police went to that house, West wasn't there because it was being renovated. He was staying in a nearby rental home, the source said, but when officers arrived there, he was gone. One other alleged member of the scam network, Jimmy Ylimaki, remains on the run. If extradited to the U.S. and convicted, West could face up to 40 years in prison.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- BBC News
FBI carry popular Ghanaian businessman Dada Joe Remix go US to face charges of wire and romance scam
Di Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) don carry one ogbonge Ghanaian businessman Joseph Badu Boateng aka 'Dada Joe Remix' go di US to face charges of wire and romance fraud. Dis dey happun weeks afta di US attorney general, Pamela Bondi tok say dem dey "pursue everybody wia dey involve for transnational schemes wia cost billions of dollars, wey be how dem dey steal moni from old pipo." "For di last few weeks alone, investigators and prosecutors don arrest wia dem file cases against foreign fraudsters wit domestic actors wey bin dey help di foreign-based crimes," di statement on top di US deportment of justice website tok. Di Attorney General office tok say dem dey work wit "domestic law enforcement and dia counterparts for oda kontris to find dis criminals to face justice." Some of di crimes dem tok say dis pipo don commit dey involve romance scam, lottery fraud and grandparent scams. Na so di diplomatic security service special agents for di US embassy bin work wit di FBI wia dem extradite oga Dada Joe Remix for Tuesday 1 July 2025. Inside one statement on top dia social media page, dem tok say "di diplomatic security service special agents work wit di FBI to carry oga Dada Joe go di US." Dem add say "oga Joseph Boateng aka Dada Joe remix dey inducted on top charges say im run ogbonge fraud cartel wey bin use romance and inheritance scam to defraud US victims of millions of dollars." "Di pesin now dey for di US to face Justice," di statement tok. Dada Joe Remix na one of ten Ghanaians wey di US authorities bin dey pursue for various scams wey dem bin allegedly use to defraud plenty US citizens. Background Di US department of justice tok say dem file case against Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng wia pipo for Ghana sabi as 'Dada Joe Remix'. On 30 May, one jury for di district of Arizona bin charge am wit conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to court documents dem bin dey dis fraud business between 2013 to March 2023, when Boateng and oda pipo wia im dey work wit, don do romance/inheritance scheme wey target elderly American pipo. Di pipo im dey work wit (co-conspirators) bin "use false means say dem get gold and oda jewels na so to release dis tins, dem gat to pay taxes and oda moni; dat be how dem dey collect victims dia moni." Authorities for Ghana bin arrest 'Dada Joe Remix' on 30 May 2025, wia dem begin di process to extradite am to di US on di request of American authorities. Na FBI wey investigate dis mata. Who be Dada Joe Remix? 'Dada Joe Remix' na popular pesin for Ghana wia pipo for di entertainment industry dey describe am as "business mogul and philanthropist". Im dey associated wit plenty of di entertainment industry pipo like Shatta Bundle, Showboy, Abutrica and odas. Im dey flaunt luxury cars and oda properties wia dem tok say im allegedly dey involved in real estates, oil and gas among odas. For September 2024, many of di kontris celebrities don attend di funeral of im papa for Accra, na ogbonge funeral. Since May dis year, FBI agents bin dey di kontri to pursue Ghanaians wey allegedly dey involved for crimes against US citizens. Dem bin work wit Ghana authorities to arrest entertainment industry player ISaac Kofi Oduro alias 'Kofi Boat' wey be godfather to one of Ghana's dancehall artistes, Shatta Wale. Togeda wit Inusag Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah and Patrick Asare, di US authorities say dem dey involved for one ogbonge million dollar fraud mata wia involve wetin dem describe as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and romance scam. Di arrest wey happun on 13 June 2025, afta di kontri interior ministry don secure warrant for di district court for Accra, na part of joint Interpol and FBI operation afta US indictment charge dem wit wire fraud and money laundering.
