Four Men Charged In $800,000 Advance Fee Scheme
NEWARK, N.J. – Harold Mignott, James Adkins, Jerrid Douglas, and Roy Johannes Gillar have been charged with allegedly defrauding two individual victims out of approximately $800,000 through an advance fee scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced today.
The men, all with ties to New Jersey and Nevada, are each charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the complaint, from March 2016 through June 2016, Mignott, Adkins, Douglas, and Gillar allegedly agreed to defraud an entity identified in the complaint as “Victim Company A” out of approximately $1 million.
The defendants fraudulently induced two individuals who ran Victim Company A to have Victim Company A enter a joint-venture agreement with their New Jersey-based shell company. The defendants falsely represented that their company could acquire and provide Victim Company A with a “standby letter of credit” backed by Mexican gold bonds.
Victim Company A wanted access to the standby letter of credit so it could purchase raw gold overseas and sell it to gold refineries. As part of the joint-venture agreement, Victim Company A agreed to pay the defendants $1 million for the bank fee associated with the standby letter of credit. However, the defendants failed to provide Victim Company A with a standby letter of credit or anything of value.
Instead, the defendants misappropriated Victim Company A’s money for their personal use, including on items like luxury cars, expensive watches, mortgage payments on their personal residences, and large cash withdrawals. At no time since March 2016 have the defendants or any company owned or operated by them provided anything of value to Victim Company A in exchange for Victim Company A’s $800,000.
The conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Mignott, Adkins, and Douglas were arrested this morning and made their initial court appearances this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal Court. Gillar was arrested yesterday and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe in Las Vegas federal court. Gillar was detained. Mignott, Adkins, and Douglas were released on $200,000 unsecured bonds.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant: Harold Mignott, James Adkins, Jerrid Douglas, Roy Johannes Gillar
- Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
- City and State: Newark, New Jersey
- Exact Date: March 2016 through June 2016
- Sentence or Outcome: Mignott, Adkins, and Douglas released on $200,000 unsecured bonds; Gillar detained
- Dollar Amounts: $800,000
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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