Tyrone Grandberry, Wire Fraud, Virginia 2019

A Virginia man has been brought to justice after pleading guilty to a scheme that defrauded individuals who trusted him to invest their money.

Tyrone Grandberry, 59, of Woodbridge, Virginia, pled guilty yesterday to federal charges of wire fraud, stemming from a scheme to defraud individuals that trusted the defendant to invest money on their behalf, and possessing a fraudulent immigration document, stemming from obtaining and possessing a fraudulent Austrian passport in another name.

According to the government’s evidence, Grandberry engaged in conduct that constituted an investment fraud scheme. Grandberry along with others solicited investments totaling approximately $4,000,000, in which they benefited from the scheme by diverting money for their personal use. In some cases, Grandberry “repaid” or “refunded” prior victims with money that he obtained from new investors.

Grandberry pled guilty before the Honorable Paul L. Friedman in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of wire fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and to one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a). The charges carry statutory maximums of twenty years and ten years in prison, respectively.

As part of his plea, Grandberry agreed to the forfeiture of $2,123,033.57 that was seized pursuant to a warrant. Sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, along with Acting Special Agent in Charge Charles A. Dayoub, FBI Washington Field Office, and Director Todd J. Brown, Diplomatic Security Service, commended the work of those who investigated the case at the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Swanton, Paralegal Specialists Jessica McCormick and Chela Okonji, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Jennings of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Demian Ahn of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia who prosecuted the case.

The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of investment fraud and the importance of due diligence when investing your hard-earned money.

Defendant:

Tyrone Grandberry

Criminal Charges:

One count of wire fraud, under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of possessing a fraudulent immigration document, under 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a)

City and State:

Woodbridge, Virginia

Date:

October 30, 2019 (sentencing)

Sentence:

Twenty years in prison (maximum) and ten years in prison (maximum) and forfeiture of $2,123,033.57

Dollar Amounts:

$4,000,000 (total amount solicited in investments) and $2,123,033.57 (forfeiture amount)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/virginia-man-pleads-guilty-fraud-scheme-and-possessing-fraudulent-austrian-passport