Six Telemarketers Charged in Florida with Business Opportunity Scam

The U.S. Department of Justice reports in its press release (quotation, not an independent finding): “WASHINGTON – Five people have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Miami relating to the individuals’ participation in a fraudulent business opportunity sales operation, the Justice Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced today. A sixth individual was also charged in a criminal information. According to the indictment, the defendants were involved with a firm called Global Resources Inc. The nine-count indictment charges five of the defendants with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Some of the defendants are also charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, and aiding and abetting. According to the indictment and information, from approximately June 2004 through Oct. 2004, Stewart Pope of Seminole, Fla.; John Maginnis of Miami; Lisa Cohan of Ft. Lauderdale; Laura Fadlon aka "Laura Sadlon" of North Miami; Larry Taylor and Frank DiMezza, both of Long Beach, Calif.; and others engaged in the fraudulent sale of business opportunities through Global. The information charges a sixth defendant, John Maginnis, with a single count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. The company purportedly sold prepaid business opportunities, along with assistance in establishing, maintaining and operating a prepaid business. According to the defendants and their co-conspirators, a business opportunity purchaser would earn substantial profits when members of the public purchased prepaid cell phones, phone minutes and various prepaid products and services from a distributor’s kiosk terminal. Global promoted the business opportunities to consumers across th”