Broward County

September 27, 2016

13 Accused Of Telemarketing Fraud in South Florida

Thirteen people, mostly from South Florida, are facing federal charges of mail fraud and conspiracy for allegedly defrauding approximately $23 million from investors — mostly seniors — around the nation.

According to investigators, two linked telemarketing frauds, based in Miami Lakes and Marina Del Rey, Calif., touted stocks for Sanomedics Inc. and Fun Cool Free stocks between 2009 and 2015.

The telemarketers claimed to be selling profitable shares in companies that provided thermometers for humans and dogs and games for smartphones, according to authorities.

Five of the 13 arrested were also charged with wire fraud.

Due to the increase in telephone scams over the past few years, the federal government along with state authorities have been cracking down on any suspected telemarketing fraud schemes. If you or your company is under investigation for fraud or you are facing criminal charges, it is best to seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

Telemarketing fraud can involve many actions or schemes, such as:

Convincing someone to pay a fee to obtain a credit card or to restore credit – also known as advanced fee scams.
Telling a person you will enter their name into a lottery for a prize to obtain the person’s personal information for fraudulent purposes.
Bullying or pressuring the person to act quickly and send a payment.
Promising a product or service and never following through.
Promising the person will make a lot of money working from home and other get-rich-quick schemes – also known as a pyramid scheme.
Selling fake timeshares.
Tricking a person into making a wire transfer.

September 15, 2016

Man Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Mortgage Scam

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A man convicted of conspiring to defraud more than 30,000 Americans out of about $31 million was sentenced on Thursday to 16 years in prison.

The California man was also ordered to pay $11.9 million in forfeiture and restitution.

The man was convicted of running a mortgage scheme from November 2011 through May 2014, causing more than 60 homeowners to lose their homes.

The man apparently oversaw about 65 telemarketers and managers in his role as general manager of sales at the company.

Prosecutors claim that the Irvine-based company persuaded homeowners in dire financial shape to modify the terms of their mortgages to make them more affordable.

Four other people convicted in the scheme are awaiting sentencing.

With the housing market where it is currently, prosecutors are going after anyone accused of mortgage fraud to the fullest extent of the law. Rest assured that they will stop at nothing to achieve a conviction for this white collar crime. Their ultimate goal is to make sure that anyone accused of mortgage fraud is proven guilty.

Loan and mortgage fraud can be complicated, and most of these cases are unique. Our South Florida Fraud Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can comb through every shred of evidence in your case to filter fiction from fact, so that we establish the most powerful defense on your behalf. We can aggressively attack the prosecution’s case and make sure your rights are protected.

July 20, 2016

South Florida Doctor Gets 3 Years for Medicare Fraud

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A South Florida doctor will spend more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to falsely diagnosing hundreds of patients in a Medicare fraud scheme.

Court records show the 57-year-old Delray Beach doctor was also ordered Wednesday by a federal judge to pay more than $2.1 million in restitution to the government. The man previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud.

Authorities claim the man falsely diagnosed 387 patients enrolled in the Medicare Advantage program with a rare spinal condition. The patients were enrolled in a Humana Inc. health plan that was reimbursed for each diagnosis by Medicare.

The federal program paid out $2.1 million in excess benefits, 80 percent of which went to the doctor. Almost none of the patients actually had the rare spinal condition, according to reports.

Medicare and Medicaid fraud is taken quite seriously on local, state and federal levels. It is important to note that these cases are heavily investigated before charges are brought forth. With that said, you will most likely know about the possibility of being charged long before an indictment is filed against you.

February 5, 2014

West Palm Beach Man accused of sexual assaulting a Plantation child

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A 21-year-old West Palm Beach man is accused of having sexual relations with a four-year-old girl in 2009, Plantation police are alleging.

The arrest report alleges that the attacks occurred in 2009 when the man was 17. He and the young girl lived in Plantation at the time and he would show her pornographic DVDs before engaging in sex acts seen on the screen.

The man warned the girl not to tell anyone and she kept silent for years. She eventually told her mother, who was hesitant to contact police, according to investigators, because she was afraid that reporting the abuse would put her traumatized daughter in foster care and break up her marriage.

February 3, 2014

Telemarketers Charged in Broward County Investment Fraud Scheme

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Authorities have busted a Broward County-based “boiler room” operation, most recently arresting three men this week who are accused of selling fake stocks. News reports estimate that the scheme collectively siphoned about $4 million from investors throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The men worked for an outfit known as FMN Enterprise, which allegedly employed 14 men who posed as telemarketers and sold stock from green-technology companies, promising investors healthy returns, authorities said.

A Broward County brokerage is the center of a securities fraud and racketeering operation

A Broward County brokerage is the center of the arrest of 14 men for securities fraud and racketeering

January 2, 2014

Feds: Broward County Man Facing Charges After Posting Online Death Threat to Broward Prosecutor and Judges

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A South Florida man is facing federal charges after authorities say he threatened to kill Broward State Attorney Mike Satz and as well as some other judges in a posting on a Broward County courthouse blog on November 27th.

Federal authorities claim that the man, who has lived in Broward and Palm Beach counties as of late, will remain in custody pending further proceedings.

According to news reports, the man posted the following on the blog:

“By the end of this year a rouque [sic] asa will be executed for his abuse of prosecutorial power that hurt my kids and ruined my life. His kids will be spared but he has to much power to be left to his sma [sic] minded sick decptions [sic] to get convictions and further his career. He will be accompained [sic] by current and former judges who abused their judicial power to destroy good lives and decent people. Mike Satz goes first.”

(ASA is an abbreviation for assistant state attorney).

The FBI was contacted by an unidentified person who reported the comment, prompting the FBI to obtain a subpoena to identify the computer that was used to make threat.

Law enforcement traced the comment to a computer in a Boca Raton home where the defendant was dog sitting for a friend. When confronted, the defendant allegedly appeared “intoxicated” and refused to let the agents look at any computers, The next day the defendant dialed 211, a telephone crisis helpline, and said he wanted to hang himself.
A few days later, the homeowner allowed the FBI examine her computer, which agents later confirmed was used to make the posting.

A forensic psychologist told agents he conducted seven mental health evaluations on the defendant between 2003 and 2007 and diagnosed the defendant with bipolar disorder, alcohol dependency and an anti-social disorder. (He had several past Broward County cases, including two domestic violence cases and four aggravated stalking cases, some of which were handled in a special court for defendants with mental health problems.)

FBI reports indicate that, “[The psychologist] believes that [the defendant] is a ‘high risk’ to engage in future violent behavior against specific targets and is a ‘ticking time bomb.'”