Damian Williams, america Legal professional for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Cost of the New York Area Workplace of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), introduced as we speak the unsealing of an Indictment in Manhattan federal court docket charging ANDRIS PUKKE with wire fraud and with partaking in illegal financial transactions in connection along with his embezzlement of greater than $13 million from Sanctuary Belize, an actual property improvement in Belize that he directed and managed. PUKKE was arrested this morning in Los Angeles and shall be offered within the Central District of California later as we speak.
U.S. Legal professional Damian Williams stated: “Andris Pukke offered residential tons in Belize with a promise to construct out an inexpensive trip and retirement neighborhood in a tropical paradise. As a substitute, Pukke’s deliberate paradise turned out to be only a mirage, as he allegedly stole the very funds the event wanted to pay for roads, utilities, and different infrastructure, leaving the lot consumers with nothing however land they can’t entry or use. This Workplace will proceed to aggressively pursue shopper fraud to make sure that companies ship on their guarantees to their prospects.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll stated: “The defendant, as alleged, offered his victims goals of a tropical haven, as an alternative he used their cash for his personal pursuits. Investigating and holding monetary fraudsters like Mr. Pukke accountable within the prison justice system stays a high precedence for the FBI.”
In keeping with the Indictment unsealed as we speak in Manhattan federal court docket:[1]
PUKKE directed and managed Sanctuary Belize, which was a trip and retirement neighborhood beneath improvement in Belize. PUKKE marketed and offered residential tons within the improvement to U.S. residents with guarantees that the event, when completed, can be close to a global airport and hospital and would come with a marina, a wildlife reserve, a seashore membership, and an equestrian heart, amongst different facilities. Lot consumers might assemble houses on their tons as soon as the infrastructure, reminiscent of roads and electrical energy, was constructed out by Sanctuary Belize.
PUKKE and his salespeople falsely represented to lot consumers that Sanctuary Belize was freed from debt and that each one revenue from lot gross sales would go to the event of Sanctuary Belize’s infrastructure. In reality, Sanctuary Belize had greater than $12 million in debt, and PUKKE stole greater than $13 million of the $124 million that Sanctuary Belize obtained from gross sales of residential tons. PUKKE stole the cash by directing Sanctuary Belize workers to switch the funds to recipients he designated. These transfers of funds have been hid on the books and information of Sanctuary Belize as enterprise bills, reminiscent of skilled charges, authorized charges, consulting charges, loans receivable, and internet marketing bills.
PUKKE used the embezzled funds for his private profit, together with the renovation of his house in Newport Seashore, California; investments in numerous entities unrelated to Sanctuary Belize; investments in unrelated actual property developments; reimbursement of private debt; and funds to PUKKE’s members of the family.
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PUKKE, 54, of Newport Bach, California, is charged with one depend of wire fraud, which carries a most sentence of 20 years in jail, and one depend of partaking in illegal financial transactions, which carries a most sentence of 10 years in jail.
The utmost potential sentences on this case are prescribed by Congress and are supplied right here for informational functions solely, as any sentencing of the defendant shall be decided by the choose.
Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the FBI. Mr. Williams additionally thanked the Federal Commerce Fee for his or her help with the case.
This case is being dealt with by the Workplace’s Complicated Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James McMahon and Jeffrey C. Coffman are in control of the prosecution.
The fees contained within the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible.
[1] Because the introductory phrase signifies, everything of the textual content of the Indictment and the outline of the Indictment set forth beneath represent solely allegations, and each reality described herein needs to be handled as an allegation.
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