Foreign national sentenced to prison after fraudulently opening bank accounts in Maryland

GREENBELT, MD—A foreign national has been sentenced to prison after fraudulently opening bank accounts in Maryland. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has sentenced Daniel Velcu, 43, of Baltimore, to 34 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his sentence, Velcu will be required […]

Former bank employee convicted after fraudulently opening bank accounts in Maryland

UPDATE: Daniel Velcru has been sentenced to prison. Original story below… GREENBELT, MD—A Maryland man has been convicted on fraud charges after fraudulent opening bank accounts. A federal jury has convicted Diape Seck, 29, of Rockville, for his role in a bank fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators obtained or attempted to obtain almost $2 million by fraud, […]

Maryland man sentenced to more than six years in prison for his role in $28 million Ponzi scheme

GREENBELT, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for his role in a $28 million Ponzi scheme involving “1st Million Dollars” wealth management company. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Arley Ray Johnson, 63, of Bowie, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy, wire […]

Two biotech company presidents indicted in Maryland for securities fraud schemes

BALTIMORE, MD—Two biotech company presidents have been indicted in Maryland in connection with a securities fraud scheme. A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Nader Pourhassan, 59 of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Kazem Kazempour, 69, of Potomac Maryland, for their roles in schemes to defraud investors in CytoDyn Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Washington. […]

Eleven Maryland defendants facing federal charges relating to unemployment fraud scheme with more than $1.6 million in losses

BALTIMORE, MD—A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment adding two new defendants to the nine defendants previously charged in relation to a Maryland and California unemployment insurance fraud scheme. The superseding indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and stealing a post office key. The superseding indictment was returned on […]

Maryland man convicted for his role in $28 million Ponzi scheme

GREENBELT, MD—A federal jury in Maryland has convicted Arley Ray Johnson, 63, of Bowie, on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and securities fraud, in connection with a $28 million Ponzi scheme involving 1st Million, a purported wealth management and financial literacy company. Johnson was convicted after a 10-day trial. The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District […]

Nigerian national sentenced to over four years in prison for conspiring with Middle River man to commit identity theft, mail fraud

BALTIMORE, MD—A Nigerian national has been sentenced to prison for his part in a Maryland identity theft and mail fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has sentenced Samson A. Oguntuyi, 29, of Atlanta, Georgia, to 54 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, bank fraud, […]

Maryland man sentenced to 15 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana shipped by mail from California

BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland man has been sentenced to prison after dealing drugs that were shipped via U.S. Mail. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has sentenced Dwight Antonio Pitts, 47, of Hanover, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a drug distribution conspiracy involving large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and […]