Beltsville Man Convicted For Financial Fraud Scheme

A federal jury has convicted Jemel Maurice Lyles, a/k/a Michael Anderson, Anthony Alva and Tony Alva, of Beltsville, Maryland, of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.

The conviction was announced by Rod J. Rosenstein, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

According to court documents and evidence presented at his five-day trial, co-conspirator Stephen Courtney Evans introduced Victim 1 to Lyles, whom he identified as “Michael Anderson.” The victim was looking for capital to finance a day care center.

Lyles communicated with the victim by email or telephone under the alias of Michael Anderson, the CFO of Capital Group Holdings. Lyles and Evans falsely represented that CGH was a financial services business and for a fee, could obtain a Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) for the victim. Lyles agreed to sell the victim a $1 million SBLC in exchange for a 7.2% fee of the total amount, or $72,000.

After receiving the victim’s $72,000 fee for the SBLC, Lyles took the money for his personal use, including the purchase of a Land Rover, and payment of past due rent. Lyles (as Anderson) continued to assure the victim that a $1 million SBLC had been purchased and that the transaction was being processed.

Lyles faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy, and for wire fraud; and a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of the two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled his sentencing for January 23, 2017, at 9:00 a.m.

Co-conspirator Stephen Courtney Evans, age 50, of Manassas, Virginia, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

White Collar Crime

Jonathon Mejia-Cortez, Money Laundering, Nevada 2004

Jan 15, 2004

White Collar Crime

Randy Jones, Illegal Oil Dumping, Wisconsin 2002

Jun 14, 2001

White Collar Crime

Corpuz Iii, Securities Fraud, California 2019

Jan 15, 2019

White Collar Crime

West Indies Transport, Fraud & Pollution, Virgin Islands 1996

Nov 13, 1993