Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of Missouri

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Former President of St. Louis Law Enforcement Officer Association Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

St. Louis, MO – Darren Randal Wilson pled guilty to nine counts of wire fraud involving his misappropriation of over $80,000 from the Ethical Society of Police, an association of black St. Louis police officers.

According to court documents, Wilson was president of the Ethical Society of Police (ESOP) in 2013 and 2014.  As president of ESOP, Wilson had access to funds in the ESOP bank account, which consisted primarily of the monthly dues contributed by the police officer members of ESOP.

Between July 2013 and December 2014, Wilson engaged in a fraud scheme to misappropriate money from the ESOP bank account and to use the money for his own purposes, including funding his business promoting comedy shows featuring nationally known comedians at local night clubs.  To further the fraud scheme, Wilson transmitted some of the misappropriated money by Fed Wire, PayPal and Western Union wire transfers.  To conceal his fraudulent activity, Wilson presented false information to ESOP officers and members.  In April 2014, Wilson was indicted on nine felony counts of wire fraud associated with the fraud scheme.

Wilson, St. Louis, Missouri, appeared before United States District Judge Henry Edward Autrey and pled guilty to all nine counts of wire fraud.  As part of the guilty plea, Wilson acknowledged that he abused his position of public and private trust.  He agreed to a money judgment against him of $80,934, to account for the losses to ESOP associated with the fraud scheme.  He also agreed to surrender his law enforcement certification and to no longer work or seek employment as a law enforcement officer.  Sentencing has been set for December 12, 2016.

Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $250,000.  In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges substantially lower than the statutory maximum.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Cristian M. Stevens is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Florida

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Former CEO of Essex Holdings Inc. Charged With $30 Million Fraud Scheme Involving Investments in Sugar Transportation and Iron Ore Mining, and Unlawfully Obtaining Economic Development Funds

The former Chief Executive Officer of Essex Holdings, Inc., was charged with two separate fraud schemes totaling more than $30 million.  The first scheme involved nearly 100 investors who purportedly purchased interests in sugar transportation and iron ore mining in Chile.  The second scheme involved unlawfully obtaining economic development funds from the State of South Carolina.

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement. 

Navin Shankar Subramaniam Xavier, a/k/a "Navin Xavier," a/k/a "Dr. Navin Xavier" (Xavier), 44, of Miramar, is charged by Indictment with fifteen counts of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  Xavier faces a maximum statutory sentence of twenty years in prison for each count and a fine up to $250,000.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Miami. 

According to the Indictment, from September 2010 through May 2014, Xavier operated Essex Holdings, Inc., (“Essex Holdings”) from an office in Miami Gardens, and raised more than $29 million from nearly 100 investors for supposed investments in sugar transportation and shipping, as well as iron ore mining in Chile.  Xavier used a false financial statement, forged documents, and false promises of fixed rates of return, to induce investors to invest with Essex Holdings.  Most of the money was used for purposes other than what was promised, including to support lavish spending by Xavier and his wife for expensive jewelry, luxury vehicles, wedding expenses, and cosmetic surgery.  Eventually, Xavier used new investor money to pay old investors in a Ponzi-like fashion before the scheme collapsed.

The second scheme involved Xavier using Essex Holdings to obtain $1.2 million in payments and approximately $1.5 million worth of commercial real estate from the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development (“SCCCED”), a division of the South Carolina state government, that was supposed to be used to develop a dilapidated industrial property into a diaper plant and rice packaging facility.  According to the indictment, Xavier provided false financial documentation to SCCCED in order to obtain the contract, and later provided fake contractor invoices and fake bank statements in order to get paid under the contract.   As with the investment fraud scheme, Xavier spent the development money for his personal living expenses, and wired some of it to the same overseas accounts used in the investment fraud. 

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Miami Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the South Carolina Office of Inspector General, for assisting with this matter.  The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerrob Duffy and Allison Lehr. 

A criminal indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Florida

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Cape Coral Woman Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Defrauding Her Former Company Of $1.1 Million

Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Junipher Sayers, formerly Junipher Layne, (34, Cape Coral) to three years in federal prison for wire fraud. The Court also ordered her to repay $1,132,160.91 in restitution to the victim, Tigrent, Inc., and an additional $1,132,160.91 to the United States in forfeiture, representing the proceeds she obtained as a result of the offenses.  

According to the plea agreement, between January 28, 2013, and June 2015, Sayers devised and carried out a sophisticated scheme to defraud Tigrent, Inc. Sayers, formerly an accounts payable clerk, stole money from the company by submitting and processing fraudulent invoices for payment. Sayers then directed those payments to several shell companies that she had created and controlled for the purpose of carrying out her scheme. She spent large amounts of the stolen money on consumer goods and other items.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cape Coral Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles D. Schmitz.