Case 4:15-Cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 1 of 124
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Case 4:15-cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 1 of 124 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ESAM ABDELGADIR, RITA DOS SANTOS and JOSEPH SHIKHMAN – PUTATIVE CLASS REPRESENTATIVES AND THOSE SIMILARLY SITUATED, Case No. 14-cv-9857 - GHW Plaintiffs, v. TELEXELECTRIC, LLLP; TELEX MOBILE, DEMAND FOR TRIAL BY JURY HOLDINGS, INC.; JAMES M. MERRILL; CARLOS N. WANZELER; STEVEN M. LABRIOLA; JOSEPH H. CRAFT, a/k/a JOE H. CRAFT; CRAFT FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, LLC; CARLOS COSTA; KATIA WANZELER; SANDERLEY RODRIGUES DE VASCONCELOS; WWW GLOBAL BUSINESS, INC.; SANTIAGO DE LA ROSA; RANDY N. CROSBY; FAITH R. SLOAN; DANIIL SHOYFER; GERALD P. NEHRA, individually and doing business as LAW OFFICES OF NEHRA AND WAAK; GERALD P. NEHRA ATTORNEY AT LAW, PLLC; RICHARD W. WAAK, individually and doing business as LAW OFFICES OF NERHA AND WAAK; RICHARD W. WAAK, ATTORNEY AT LAW, PLLC; PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP; BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, BANK OF AMERICA, NA; TD BANK, NA; FIDELITY CO-OPERATIVE BANK, doing business as FIDELITY BANK; MIDDLESEX SAVINGS BANK; WELLS FARGO & COMPANY; WELLS FARGO BANK, NA; SYNOVUS FINANCIAL CORPORATION, SYNOVUS BANK; FMR, LLC, also known as FIDELITY INVESTMENTS; GLOBAL PAYROLL GATEWAY INC.; INTERNATIONAL PAYOUT SYSTEMS, INC.; PROPAY, INC., doing business as PROPAY.COM; BASE COMMERCE, LLC, doing business as PHOENIX PAYMENTS; VANTAGE PAYMENTS, LLC; ALLIED WALLET, LTD; DOE INSIDE PROMOTERS; DOE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PROVIDERS; DOE BANKS; DOE INVESTMENT SERVICES PROVIDERS; DOE PAYMENT PROCESSORS; and PARALEGAL DOE, Defendants. COMPLAINT Case 4:15-cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 2 of 124 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. NATURE OF THE ACTION ...........................................................................................1 II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE .......................................................................................6 III. THE PARTIES..................................................................................................................7 A. PLAINTIFFS ........................................................................................................7 B. THIRD-PARTY TELEXFREE BANKRUPT ENTITIES ...................................8 C. DEFENDANTS ....................................................................................................9 i. Electric and Mobile ................................................................................... 9 ii. Founders, Officers, Directors, Owners and Businesses Associated With Such Individuals............................................................................. 10 iii. Principals, Aiders and Abettors: Attorneys and Other Professional Services Providers ................................................................................... 13 iv. Principals, Aiders and Abettors: Banks and Other Financial Service Providers ................................................................................................. 15 IV. FACTS AND ALLEGATIONS ......................................................................................19 A. The History of TelexFree’s Formation and its Brazilian Connections ...............19 B. The Formation of The Bankrupt TelexFree Companies .....................................20 i. TelexFree, Inc. ........................................................................................ 20 ii. TelexFree, LLC ....................................................................................... 21 iii. TelexFree Financial, Inc. ........................................................................ 22 C. Relationship of the Bankrupt TelexFree Companies ..........................................23 D. Defendants Electric and Mobile..........................................................................24 E. TelexFree’s Brazilian-Based Operations: Ympactus .........................................25 F. TelexFree’s Unlawful, Unfair and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme .........................26 G. TelexFree’s Fraudulent and Deceptive Use of Best Western Hotel ...................35 H. Investigation of, and Injunctions against, Telexfree’s Brazilian Operations in Brazil ...................................................................................................................35 I. TelexFree’s Continued United States’ Operations .............................................38 J. Collapse of TelexFree’s United States’ Operations ............................................39 K. TelexFree’s Belated Efforts to Legitimize Its Scheme .......................................40 L. Events Since TelexFree’s Bankruptcy Filing .....................................................41 M. TelexFree’s Founders Controlled TelexFree, Knowingly Perpetrated the Unlawful, Unfair, and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme, and Made False Representations about TelexFree ........................................................................43 i Case 4:15-cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 3 of 124 N. TelexFree’s Inside Promoters Played an Integral Role in and Aided and Abetted the Unlawful, Unfair, and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme ......................................49 O. TelexFree’s Attorneys Played an Integral Role in and Aided and Abetted the Unlawful, Unfair, and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme ............................................57 P. Telexfree’s Accountants and Professional Services Providers Played an Integral Role in and Aided and Abetted the Unlawful, Unfair, and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme .................................................................................................68 Q. Banks and Financial Service Providers Knowingly Aided and Abetted the Unlawful, Unfair, and Deceptive Pyramid Scheme, Knowingly Received and Executed Fraudulent Fund Transfers, and Violated Mandated Bank Reporting and “Know Your Customer” Requirements .......................................................71 R. Doe Inside Promoters who Acted as Defendants’ Agents ..................................92 V. CLASS ACTION ALLEGATIONS ...............................................................................93 VI. CLAIMS FOR RELIEF ..................................................................................................96 FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS, CHAPTER 93A, SECTIONS 2 AND 11 (Against All Defendants Except Katia Wanzeler) ..........................................................96 SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF NEGLIGENCE (Against All Defendants) ................................................................................................97 THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF NEGLIGENT MISREPRESENTATION (Against All Defendants Except Katia Wanzeler) ..........................................................98 FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF FRAUD (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders Inside Promoters, Retained Licensed Professionals and IPS) ......................................................................99 FIFTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF UNJUST ENRICHMENT (Against All Defendants) ..............................................................................................101 SIXTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF TORTIOUS AIDING AND ABETTING (Against All Defendants) ..............................................................................................101 SEVENTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF CIVIL CONSPIRACY (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, Certain Retained Licensed Professionals, Fidelity Bank, Base Commerce, GPG, IPS and Katia Wanzeler) ............................................................................................................103 ii Case 4:15-cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 4 of 124 EIGHTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(c) (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, Certain Retained Licensed Professionals, Fidelity Bank and Base Commerce) ..........104 NINTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(b) (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, Certain Retained Licensed Professionals) ....................................................................110 TENTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(a) (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, Certain Retained Licensed Professionals, Fidelity Bank, Base Commerce, GPG, and IPS) ...............................................................................................................................111 ELEVENTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF RICO, 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) (Against Defendants Electric and Mobile, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, Certain Retained Licensed Professionals, Fidelity Bank, Base Commerce, GPG and IPS) ...............................................................................................................................114 TWELFTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF VIOLATIONS OF MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS, CHAPTER 110a, SECTION 410(b) (Against Defendants Mobile and Electric, Defendant Founders, Inside Promoters, and Certain Retained Licensed Professionals) ....................................................................114 VII. PRAYER FOR RELIEF ...............................................................................................116 iii Case 4:15-cv-40028-TSH Document 1 Filed 12/12/14 Page 5 of 124 I. NATURE OF THE ACTION 1. This litigation arises out of a pyramid scheme through which TelexFree, Inc., TelexFree, LLC and TelexFree Financial, Inc. (“TelexFree”) and the Defendants (as defined