Following the arrest of Daniel Filho earlier this week, the latest from the SEC pegs the DFRF Enterprises Ponzi fraud at $22.8 million dollars.

Prior to this new information, the SEC’s investigation had only uncovered around $15 million in fraud.

Now, as banks around the world slowly co-operate with US authorities and provide requested records, the $22.8 million figure is set to climb as the full extent of the DFRF Enterprises Ponzi scheme revealed. [Continue reading…]

Less than twenty-four hours after appearing live on radio in Massachusetts, Daniel Fernandes Rojo Filho has been arrested in Florida by the Department of Justice.

Filho had been on the run from authorities for almost a month, after the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest on June 25th. [Continue reading…]

July 21st saw another Arcadia City Council meeting take place and with it, another barrage of criticism relating to the city’s real-estate issues.

Added to the mix was an update on the John Wuo USFIA situation, with comments from residents and finally response from Wuo himself. [Continue reading…]

Simon Stepsys, who titles himself “the internet millionaire”, is one of the more prolific promoters of MyAdvertisingPays.

For those unfamiliar with the scheme, MyAdvertisingPays is your typical ad-credits based Ponzi scheme.

Affiliates buy in for $49.99 a pop, with ROIs paid out of subsequently invested funds.

Stepsys’ personal website contains articles such as “The Importance of maintaining your 1200 Credit Packs”, advising prospective MyAdvertisingPays investors to ‘get to 1200 Credit Packs ASAP!‘ ($59,988).

Stepsys’ social media profiles are also abundant with promotion, featuring MyAdertisingPays promotional material prolifically churned out daily.

Yet when a major UK publication recently sought comment from Stepsys regarding MyAdvertisingPays, he was suspiciously unresponsive. [Continue reading…]

Daniel Fernandes Rojo Filho is currently on the run from the FBI. After conducting an investigation into Filho’s DFRF Enterprises, the agency booked Filho on one count of wire fraud and sought his arrest.

Rather than defend himself and prove DFRF isn’t just a $15 million dollar Ponzi scheme however, Filho instead fled.

The latest in the developing saga has seen Filho interviewed by radio host Beto Moraes, in which Filho professes both the SEC and FBI investigation into DFRF are based on a “lack of information”. [Continue reading…]

Last month saw Robert Craddock plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud.

And now the Department of Justice is looking to collect… [Continue reading…]

One of the first things serial Ponzi scammers do when one of their schemes goes bust is file disputes with banks, payment processors and credit card providers.

The idea is that, even with an SEC injunction in place, financial institutions will cover their client’s losses while they investigate.

How effective this is I can’t say, but according to one Achieve Community investor the practice was widespread and has left her at a severe disadvantage. [Continue reading…]

The manhunt for Daniel Fernandes Rojo Filho continues, with new information increasingly pointing to Filho having fled the US.

Using stolen DFRF Enterprises investor funds, Filho amassed a sizeable collection of exotic cars.

One of them, a Rolls Royce Filho was frequently seen driving around, was ‘found abandoned in Miami the first week of July‘.

Filho also stiffed a luxury hotel in Miami out of $70,000: [Continue reading…]

Despite an advertised July 15th launch, at the time of publication the HopRocket website only features a marketing video.

An affiliate website is live over at “myhoprocket.com”, but fails to disclose who owns the company.

It isn’t until one looks up domain registration info that who is behind HopRocket is revealed.

Both the HopRocket and MyHopRocket website domains are registered to Fred Ninow of Ocean Avenue LLC, with an address in the US state of Utah also provided.

Ocean Avenue was first launched  back in 2012 by Ninow and Ken Dunn.

In May 2014 Dunn left Ocean Avenue, claiming at the time:

The idea of walking away from MLM and OA is the toughest decision that I have ever had to make.

Ocean Avenue is in great hands with Fred & Staci, Tuffy & Theresa and the field leaders. It is an amazing opportunity. I would recommend it to anyone asking. I just have another direction that I need to go in.

One month later, Ocean Avenue merged with JM International to create JM Ocean Avenue.

As per a press-release issued on October 1st, 2014:

JM International, currently operating based in China and had expanded market to nearly 20 countries and regions around the world, is a hub for cutting-edge research and development and offers a wide range of healthcare related consumer products.

June 5, 2014, Ocean Avenue and JM International, both multi-national direct sales companies, today announced a merger to create opportunities for distributors and customers by expanding to over 25 new markets around the world this year, offering a broader and deeper range of products and increasing sales.

The venture, JM Ocean Avenue, is collaboration between two companies whose combined strengths will result in a global company able to produce and deliver innovative products through a superior and far-reaching global distributor network.

The JM Ocean Avenue website lists Jacky Zhang as “Global CEO” of the company, presumably appointed at the time of the merger.

Somewhat curiously, Fred Ninow (right) does not appear on JM Ocean Avenue’s listed Executive Team or Board of Directors.

Infact Ninow’s name does not appear anywhere on the JM Ocean Avenue website, leaving his position within the company a complete mystery.

With Ninow’s name popping up on the HopRocket domain registration, it’s probable that this might be a separate side venture of JM Ocean Avenue that he’s been put in charge of.

Before the JM International merger, Ocean Avenue offered access to a “vacation club”:

Claiming to have partnered with an unspecified “world-renowned travel agency”, membership to the Ocean Avenue Vacation Club is available to Ocean Avenue customers who spend a minimum of $50 on product purchases.

Details on the Vacation Club are sketchy, save that Ocean Avenue affiliates and customers will be able to book resort accommodation and cruises.

Unfortunately pending full disclosure by HopRocket, the executive management structure of the company is currently unknown.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

There is no information on the Hits & Wealth website indicating who owns or runs the business.

The Hits & Wealth website domain (“hitsandwealth.com”) was first registered in February, 2013, with the registration last updated on the 5th of September, 2014. This is likely when the owner(s) of Hits & Wealth took acquired the domain.

Of note is that the DropShip2Cash website is currently hosted off the Hits & Wealth server.

DropShip2Cash is a recently launched $49 a pop Ponzi scheme, with shared hosting strongly suggesting the same admin(s) are behind both opportunities.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]