upfront fee scammer gets 5 years - 3M fine!

[TUGBrian]

nice work closing down another upfront fee scammer!

https://news3lv.com/news/local/lead...enced-to-prison-ordered-to-pay-over-3-million

 

[RX8]

From the article

“Boyar and his 20 co-conspirators activated a telemarketing scam using stolen data to identify timeshare owners.”

Sure would like to know how they stole the timeshare owner’s information.

 

[brianfox]

We too often hear of online data breaches (Marriott quite recently). My guess is this was a tiny piece of that stolen data, purchased on the dark web.

My biggest problem with the result of this case is that only the top people in the shady firm were punished.
I'd like to see everyone involved - down the cold-callers - put away.

 

[tombanjo]

I’m willing to bet it was sold to them. The scam started in 2010.

 

[LannyPC]

The big question is Will the criminals actually pay out that money to the victims?

 

[TUGBrian]

easy to buy owners lists...we still get contacted every week asking if we want to buy various lists. they offer lists for every major developer.

sad really

 

[LannyPC]

"Never were there any buyers nor any timeshare sales."

Wow! What a shocker.

 

[terrygee]

Why don't people ever learn??
Especially if you are retired or the timeshare is owned outright, JUST STOP PAYING!

 

[LannyPC]

the timeshare is owned outright, JUST STOP PAYING!

Not necessarily good advice. If you stop paying, you could face collection calls as well as a hit to your credit rating. That, in turn, could affect future attempts to get credit or loans.

Also, some timeshares have at least a little bit of resale value. If you stop paying, then there's no way of selling it.

 

[chapjim]

We too often hear of online data breaches (Marriott quite recently). My guess is this was a tiny piece of that stolen data, purchased on the dark web.

My biggest problem with the result of this case is that only the top people in the shady firm were punished.
I'd like to see everyone involved - down the cold-callers - put away.

It is entirely possible the 'cold-callers' were co-conspirators and should be prosecuted.

It is much more likely that they were unaware of what their employers were doing and how. If I were running such a scam, the fewer people who knew about it, the happier I'd be.

My bet is the 'cold-callers' were hired at minimum wage, given list of numbers and a script and told to get at it. If that's the way it worked, it's hard to see that they had criminal intent.

 

[terrygee]

Not necessarily good advice. If you stop paying, you could face collection calls as well as a hit to your credit rating. That, in turn, could affect future attempts to get credit or loans.

Also, some timeshares have at least a little bit of resale value. If you stop paying, then there's no way of selling it.

I stopped paying and got a few calls which I easily blocked. I'm retired and don't give a hoot about credit.
Besides, it's been two years and there has been NO change to my 800+ credit rating!

Sorry, but I have never heard of any SERIOUS negative consequences for defaulting on a timeshare, but I guess it would also depend on the $$ involved.

 

[TUGBrian]

there is a bit of truth to that...

the saying goes...noone is looking for a way to exit a timeshare. as one exists for 100% of all owners everywhere. (ie defaulting on your payments will end your ownership, guaranteed)

there are of course repurcussions for doing this that can/might/will include:

1. reporting of the default to the major credit agencies
2. turning over to collections (if a loan is attached)
3. bombardment of angry letters by the resort for being in default
4. leaving all the remaining owners hanging to cover your portion of the ownership you stopped paying for


there are of course varying degrees of all of these from resort to resort...and folks have indeed reported in the past not having any of the first 3 happen to them at all. It would however be ridiculous to assume that any owner could simply default and expect nothing to happen, just as much as it would be to say that all defaults come with negative penalties.

it all just depends on the resort and situation.

 

[moonstone]

easy to buy owners lists...we still get contacted every week asking if we want to buy various lists. they offer lists for every major developer.

sad really

I think RCI sells members lists. Every single time I make a transaction (paying membership, booking a resort, exchanging) I am bombarded with calls from timeshare exit people or timeshare sales weasels wanting us to come for a discounted stay to preview their resort for the next several weeks. This even happens when I am making these transactions from my home on line -not talking to a rep.
I booked an Extra Vacation week 2 weeks ago for DS & family from here in Belize. Our DD went to our house yesterday to check our mail and answering machine messages. There were 4 messages related to timeshares on there from the last 2 weeks -none from RCI about my transaction! So I think when a transaction occurs somehow the name is added to a list which RCI then sells. Ticks me right off!!


~Diane

 

[SmithOp]

I had a call yesterday on my cell asking for my wife’s name, offering legal exit for your timeshare. I asked her what one, she didn’t know.

I told her I know all about these scams that offer to list it and never sell. She countered that no, this was a legal way to exit a timeshare. I said there is no such way, she was selling something that doesn’t exist, I have a deeded ownership and I’m not giving it back. The line went silent, I told her you can hang up now, she did.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[WVBaker]

It is entirely possible the 'cold-callers' were co-conspirators and should be prosecuted.

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20180424c28

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Daniel Martin Boyar, also known as Wolf, Defendant, represented by Christopher P. Frey , Federal Public Defender & Nisha Brooks-Whittington , Federal Public Defenders Office.

Adam Manuel Younassoghlou, also known as Adam Y, Defendant, represented by Lance J. Hendron , Lance J. Hendron, Attorney at Law, LLC.

Leilani Lew, Defendant, represented by John G. George , John George.

Barbara Stephanie Lizardo, Defendant, represented by Paola M. Armeni , Gentile, Cristalli, Miller, Armeni & Savarese PLLC.

Maribel Pagan, Defendant, represented by Anthony Suarez , Suarez Law Group PA, pro hac vice & Lawrence C. Hill , Law Office of Lawrence Hill.

Tomasz Marciniak, Defendant, represented by Maysoun Fletcher , The Fletcher Firm, P.C.

Susan M. Siegel, Defendant, represented by Lisa A. Rasmussen , Law Office of Lisa Rasmussen.

Britney Leighann Newman, Defendant, represented by David R. Fischer , David R. Fischer, Esq.

Russell M. Aoki, Interested Party, pro se.

USA, Plaintiff, represented by Daniel J. Cowhig , U.S. Attorney's Office, Kilby C. Macfadden , United States Attorney's Office & Daniel D. Hollingsworth , U.S. Attorney's Office.



https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/...g-elderly-victims-sentenced-five-years-prison

"The scam operated out of Orlando, Florida, under numerous business names including Holiday Advertising, First Capital Financial Services Corporation, Professional Concepts LLC, TeleTeton Corporation, Redline Funding LLC, Great West Funding Incorporated, Equity Financial Services LLC, Beneficial Business Solutions, Eastern Enterprises LLC, Vacation Funding Partners LP, Property, People, Travel, and Community Funding Corporation, using fake front companies in various cities across the United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada"

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20180424c28

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Daniel Martin Boyar, also known as Wolf, Defendant, represented by Christopher P. Frey , Federal Public Defender & Nisha Brooks-Whittington , Federal Public Defenders Office.

Adam Manuel Younassoghlou, also known as Adam Y, Defendant, represented by Lance J. Hendron , Lance J. Hendron, Attorney at Law, LLC.

Leilani Lew, Defendant, represented by John G. George , John George.

Barbara Stephanie Lizardo, Defendant, represented by Paola M. Armeni , Gentile, Cristalli, Miller, Armeni & Savarese PLLC.

Maribel Pagan, Defendant, represented by Anthony Suarez , Suarez Law Group PA, pro hac vice & Lawrence C. Hill , Law Office of Lawrence Hill.

Tomasz Marciniak, Defendant, represented by Maysoun Fletcher , The Fletcher Firm, P.C.

Susan M. Siegel, Defendant, represented by Lisa A. Rasmussen , Law Office of Lisa Rasmussen.

Britney Leighann Newman, Defendant, represented by David R. Fischer , David R. Fischer, Esq.

Russell M. Aoki, Interested Party, pro se.

USA, Plaintiff, represented by Daniel J. Cowhig , U.S. Attorney's Office, Kilby C. Macfadden , United States Attorney's Office & Daniel D. Hollingsworth , U.S. Attorney's Office.



https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/...g-elderly-victims-sentenced-five-years-prison

"The scam operated out of Orlando, Florida, under numerous business names including Holiday Advertising, First Capital Financial Services Corporation, Professional Concepts LLC, TeleTeton Corporation, Redline Funding LLC, Great West Funding Incorporated, Equity Financial Services LLC, Beneficial Business Solutions, Eastern Enterprises LLC, Vacation Funding Partners LP, Property, People, Travel, and Community Funding Corporation, using fake front companies in various cities across the United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada"

I wonder if the taxpayers had to pay for the defense attorneys for all these losers.....






.

 

[WVBaker]

I wonder if the taxpayers had to pay for the defense attorneys for all these losers......

Not sure about these but.....

https://www.npr.org/2014/05/29/316735545/why-your-right-to-a-public-defender-may-come-with-a-fee

"Defendants are even charged for some of the cost of their public defender. An NPR survey found that's allowed in 43 states, plus the District of Columbia."

 

[chapjim]

https://www.leagle.com/decision/infdco20180424c28

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Daniel Martin Boyar, also known as Wolf, Defendant, represented by Christopher P. Frey , Federal Public Defender & Nisha Brooks-Whittington , Federal Public Defenders Office.

Adam Manuel Younassoghlou, also known as Adam Y, Defendant, represented by Lance J. Hendron , Lance J. Hendron, Attorney at Law, LLC.

Leilani Lew, Defendant, represented by John G. George , John George.

Barbara Stephanie Lizardo, Defendant, represented by Paola M. Armeni , Gentile, Cristalli, Miller, Armeni & Savarese PLLC.

Maribel Pagan, Defendant, represented by Anthony Suarez , Suarez Law Group PA, pro hac vice & Lawrence C. Hill , Law Office of Lawrence Hill.

Tomasz Marciniak, Defendant, represented by Maysoun Fletcher , The Fletcher Firm, P.C.

Susan M. Siegel, Defendant, represented by Lisa A. Rasmussen , Law Office of Lisa Rasmussen.

Britney Leighann Newman, Defendant, represented by David R. Fischer , David R. Fischer, Esq.

Russell M. Aoki, Interested Party, pro se.

USA, Plaintiff, represented by Daniel J. Cowhig , U.S. Attorney's Office, Kilby C. Macfadden , United States Attorney's Office & Daniel D. Hollingsworth , U.S. Attorney's Office.



https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/...g-elderly-victims-sentenced-five-years-prison

"The scam operated out of Orlando, Florida, under numerous business names including Holiday Advertising, First Capital Financial Services Corporation, Professional Concepts LLC, TeleTeton Corporation, Redline Funding LLC, Great West Funding Incorporated, Equity Financial Services LLC, Beneficial Business Solutions, Eastern Enterprises LLC, Vacation Funding Partners LP, Property, People, Travel, and Community Funding Corporation, using fake front companies in various cities across the United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada"

A list of defendants and their attorneys. Do you think these were the people manning the phones?

 

[WVBaker]

Jim, I agree with you. Any and all knowingly involved, should be prosecuted.

Just some additional information for the sake of conversation.