http://ponzinews.com/2009/02/18/jud...to-running-ponzi-scheme-out-of-ups-mailboxes/
Judith Zabalaoui, 71, Pleads Guilty To Running Ponzi Scheme Out Of UPS Mailboxes
Judith Zabalaoui pleaded guilty today to running a Ponzi scheme by tricking clients into believing they were doing business with a brick-and-mortar company.
In reality, prosecutors said, Zabalaouiâs companies were rented UPS mailboxes at the famous courier firmâs retail stores in Delaware and Colorado. One of her bogus firms was called Paragon Co., but prosecutors said she was no paragon of virtue.
Zabalaoui is 71. She now faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud.
Calling the mailbox number a âsuiteâ number was part of the scheme, prosecutors said.
She invented âfictitious people,â claiming they were employees, fabricated emails using the names of fictitious employees, and set up phone, fax and email systems to help perpetrate the fraud, prosecutors said.
Zabalaoui collected at least $3 million in the scheme by promising âsafeâ and âguaranteedâ returns ranging from 13 percent to 26 percent, prosecutors said.
Times are rough.
Judith Zabalaoui, 71, Pleads Guilty To Running Ponzi Scheme Out Of UPS Mailboxes
Judith Zabalaoui pleaded guilty today to running a Ponzi scheme by tricking clients into believing they were doing business with a brick-and-mortar company.
In reality, prosecutors said, Zabalaouiâs companies were rented UPS mailboxes at the famous courier firmâs retail stores in Delaware and Colorado. One of her bogus firms was called Paragon Co., but prosecutors said she was no paragon of virtue.
Zabalaoui is 71. She now faces up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to mail fraud.
Calling the mailbox number a âsuiteâ number was part of the scheme, prosecutors said.
She invented âfictitious people,â claiming they were employees, fabricated emails using the names of fictitious employees, and set up phone, fax and email systems to help perpetrate the fraud, prosecutors said.
Zabalaoui collected at least $3 million in the scheme by promising âsafeâ and âguaranteedâ returns ranging from 13 percent to 26 percent, prosecutors said.
Times are rough.
