dfrf-enterprises-logoThe culmination of an FBI investigation that began earlier this year, on the 5th of August Daniel Filho was indicted on three counts of wire fraud.

As per the introduction of the indictment, a quick recap of where we’re at:

Beginning in at least June 2014 and continuing through at least June 2015, FILHO, together with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, devised and intended to devise a schme and artifice to defraud to obtain money and property from individuals by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises concerning purported investments in DFRF.

Specifically, FILHO and others acting at his direction promised individuals high returns if they gave their money to DFRF which
would, by way of a private bank in Switzerland, invest the money in highly profitable goldmining operations abroad.

Instead of investing the money as promised, however, FILHO misappropriated the money for his own personal and other uses.

Following a few weeks on the run as a fugitive, the FBI arrested Filho on July 22nd.

The basic gist of DFRF Enterprises saw affiliates invest thousands of dollars on the promise of an advertised 15% a month ROI.

Supposedly the ROI was generated by banking operations in Switzerland and mining operations in Africa, but that was all baloney.

DFRF never transmitted any investor money to PST (Switzerland)

DFRF never transmitted any investor money to gold-mining operations in Africa; and

DFRF never transmitted any money to Accedium (purported affiliate investment insurance)

What little payout DFRF Enterprises did make to investors, was straight up Ponzi:

Filho and others acting at his direction recycled money provided by some investors to pay other investors who were expecting their principal or returns thereon.

The largest payouts DFRF Enterprises made, of course went to Filho himself:

FILHO himself took more than $8,500,000 of DFRF investor money for his own use.

Specifically, FILHO made significant cash withdrawals and spent money on restaurants, travel, luxury automobiles, and various consumer goods and services.

For his part in creating and operating a Ponzi scheme of at least $22.8 million dollars, Daniel Filho was indicted by grand jury on three counts of wire fraud.

COUNT ONE (Wire Fraud-IS U.S.C. § 1343)

On or about May 8, 2015, within the District of Massachusetts and elsewhere, Daniel Fernandes Rojo Filho, aka Daniel Fernandes Filho, aka Daniel Fernandes, having devised and intending to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud, and for obtaining money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, did cause writings, signs, signals, pictures and sounds to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce for the purpose of
executing such scheme and artifice, to wit: a wire transfer of $1.8 million from an Eastern Bank account ending in 7206, in the name of DFRF Enterprises, LLC, to a Citibank account ending in 4458, in the name of DFRF Enterprises, LLC.

All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

 

COUNTS TWO & THREE (Wire Fraud-IS U.S.c. § 1343)

On or about the dates specified below, within the District of Massachusetts and elsewhere, Daniel Fernandes Rojo Filho, aka Daniel Fernandes Filho, aka Daniel Fernandes, having devised and intending to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud, and
for obtaining money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, did cause writings, signs, signals, pictures and sounds to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, to wit: the following digital video recordings uploaded and published to the internet website, YouTube.com:

  1. Count 2 (2 October 20, 2014) – Primeiro Evento DFRF
  2. Count 3 (May 9, 2015) – DFRF Entrevista Stock Market Registration and Card With CEO Daniel Filho

All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

A criminal forfeiture allegation was also part of the indictment, which saw Filho ordered to

forfeit to the United States any property, real or personal, which constitutes, or is derived from, proceeds traceable to the
commission of the offenses.

Subsequent filings reveal authorities have since seized three one ounce gold bars and $53,752 in cash.

Looking forward, the Filho criminal case docket lists an Initial Status Conference and Detention Hearing scheduled for the 8th of October.

Stay tuned…

 

Footnote: Our thanks to Don@ASDUpdates for providing a copy of Daniel Filho’s indictment and subsequent Bill of Particulars forfeiture filings.

 

Update 4th of October 2015 – Some bonus tidbits from recently unsealed search warrant applications, reveal the following information was obtained by the FBI:

  • information about the Location of AT&T Wireless mobile phone assigned 407-XXX-XXXX
  • information about the Location of AT&T Wireless mobile phone assigned 850-XXX-XXXX
  • GPS Location information of a Rolls Royce Ghost vin SCA664S57EUXXXXXX
  • a Verizon Wireless mobile phone assigned 415-XXX-XXXX
  • dfrfdaniel@XXX E-mail Account and Associated Data
  • dfrf.com, dfrftv.com, and dfrfdaniel@XXX and E-mail Accounts

The Rolls Royce aside, should be lots of incriminating evidence for regulators to pore over and present at trial.