Federal prosecutors have charged four Glen Cove residents and a Brooklyn man in an international scheme to defraud investors out of $8.4 million.
Michael D’Urso, 54, Alyssa D’Urso, 28, Jay Garnock, 75, and Antonella Chiaramonte, 36, all of Glen Cove, were arrested after an indictment unsealed Wednesday said they conspired to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and operating unlicensed money transmitting businesses, among other charges.
Robert Lenard Booth, 64, also known as “Trevor Nicholas,” of Brooklyn was also named in the indictment.
From at least June 2019 through August 2021, authorities asserted, the five operated a scheme to defraud investors from around the world using multiple shell companies to launder the money.
The Glen Cove suspects allegedly used the fake companies with associated bank accounts that were based in New York alongside Booth’s boiler room operation, an outbound call center designed to lure investors to buy securities in privately and publicly held American companies, to steal from the victims.
Investors believed that the boiler room operation Booth allegedly ran was a Manhattan-based investment firm, but authorities said it was located in Thailand.
The suspects used fake identities as well as misleading websites, email addresses and phone numbers, authorities said.
Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the group cheated victims out of their savings.
“Hiding behind fake investment firms and a network of shell companies, these defendants preyed on victims around the world and cheated them of their hard-earned savings,” Williams said. “In selling their victims fake investments in American companies, the defendants abused the confidence and trust that investors worldwide have in American securities and American banks. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners, these defendants now find themselves in hot water, being held accountable for their crimes.”
The suspects are accused of stealing over $8.4 million and laundering $4.6 million.
Thomas Fattorusso, special agent in charge of the New York field office of the Internal Revenue Service, said criminals are getting savvier in their operations.
“Criminals have become extremely sophisticated in preying on unsuspecting victims, and this alleged boiler room scheme is no exception,” he said. “This team of fraudsters allegedly went to great lengths to create fake marketing materials, fake contact information, and fake companies to dupe victim-investors and then laundered the funds for personal gain.”
Each of the suspects has been charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and operate unlicensed money transmitting businesses, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of five, 20 and 20 years in prison, respectively.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
