Four men, including three New Jersey residents, have been charged with fraud, relating to a scam in which they reportedly defrauded a commodities trading business out of $800,000.
The four men are Harold Mignott, 54, of Voorhees, James Adkins, 64, of Hillside, Jerrid Douglas, 43, of Freehold, and Roy Johannes Gillar, 44, of Las Vegas.
Supposedly Douglas was long-time friends with victims, who are residents of Matawan, NJ and Watchung, NJ. Using this friendship as a starting point, Douglas and the other three men pitched a joint venture to the victims in which they would buy, then sell, Mexican Gold.
The men falsely stated that they could provide a “standby letter of credit”, a letter guaranteeing payment by the bank should they fail to fulfill their end of the contract. In exchange for advanced fees, the men promised to secure Mexican gold for the victims, which they would, in turn, sell overseas to gold refineries.
The victims never received the letter of credit, and the money they gave to the schemers was purportedly used to buy luxury cars, expensive watches, and make mortgage payments on their homes.
All four individuals charged are either owners or high-ranking officials in different companies, including Grupo Mundial Balboa in Panama City, Brilliant Petroleum Company of Voorhees, All Bloom Trading Limited of Hong Kong, and Gillar Worldwide Group Limited.
The Las Vegas man Gillar is still being held, while the others were released on $200,000 bail following their appearance in federal court last Wednesday.
NJ Theft and Fraud Laws
New Jersey law addresses both theft and fraud crimes, categorizing such things as shoplifting, robbery, and receiving stolen property as theft, while things like forgery and identity theft are considered fraud. Additional, many cases involving credit cards will include both theft and fraud charges. All of the offenses that fall under the category of theft or fraud carry significant penalties and consequences, including fines and restitution payments, imprisonment, permanent criminal records, and can affect the immigration status of non-U.S. citizens.
If you have been charged with any theft or fraud crime, it is critical that you retain the counsel of an experienced Monmouth County criminal lawyer. Your lawyer can ensure that all evidence presented against you was obtained legally, is accurate, and is relevant to your case. They can also help you to negotiate a more favorable outcome should the evidence be beyond question, and ensure that your rights are protected throughout the process.
Contact a Monmouth County Theft and Fraud Lawyer Today
At The Law Office of Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh, we have extensive experience defending clients across Freehold, Red Bank, West Long Branch, and the greater Monmouth County area against theft and fraud charges including robbery, shoplifting, burglary, credit card theft, credit card fraud, identity theft, embezzlement, and forgery.
Our experienced criminal defense attorneys are familiar with the many tactics prosecutors use in these situations, and we are ready to counter them and ensure you receive the best possible defense. We work closely with our clients, gather evidence defending you from these charges, and counter illegally obtained in a piece of accurate evidence presented against you.
If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges of any kind, it is crucial that you retain experienced legal counsel. Our law office is ready to help, to speak with one of our criminal defense attorneys today in a confidential consultation regarding your charges, please contact us online or through our West Long Branch office at 732-440-3950.