9 months ago
53 Former US President and 2024 Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump gestures astir value lifting arsenic helium speaks astatine a Republican unpaid recruitment lawsuit astatine Fervent, a Calvary Chapel, successful Las Vegas, Nevada, July 8, 2023.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — A New Jersey antheral who had his situation condemnation for moving a monolithic Ponzi strategy commuted by Donald Trump connected the last time of his presidency was charged Wednesday with orchestrating a akin scheme.
Eli Weinstein and 4 accomplices are accused of overseeing a caller Ponzi strategy that prosecutors accidental has defrauded 150 victims retired of much than $35 million.
Weinstein has present been charged with defrauding investors 3 times.
The archetypal came successful 2013, erstwhile helium pleaded blameworthy to 45 counts of fraud and conspiracy for stealing implicit $200 cardinal from investors. In 2015, helium pleaded blameworthy successful a 2nd case, this clip to committing ligament fraud portion helium was connected proceedings for the Ponzi scheme.
Weinstein had served 8 years of his 24-year situation condemnation erstwhile Trump granted him clemency successful 2021, arsenic 1 of 143 radical who received either pardons oregon commutations during Trump's last hours successful office.
His merchandise from situation capped a costly lobbying effort that enlisted radical adjacent to Trump, including lawyer Alan Dershowitz, to reason that Weinstein ne'er got a just trial.
The run to get Trump to assistance clemency to Weinstein was aboriginal the taxable of a New York Times story, which elaborate however Weinstein's allies paid for entree to assorted Trump insiders.
On the time of his commutation, the White House described Weinstein arsenic the "father of 7 children and a loving husband."
"Upon his release, helium volition person beardown enactment from his assemblage and members of his faith," said the authoritative connection connected his commutation.
At a property league Wednesday announcing the latest charges, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said "Weinstein picked up close wherever helium near off: stealing millions of dollars from investors done a web of lies and deceit."
According to the criminal complaint, Weinstein and his accomplices created fake concern funds and told prospective investors that their wealth would beryllium utilized "to put successful lucrative deals involving, among different things, COVID-19 masks, scarce babe formula, and first-aid kits bound for Ukraine."
In bid to fell his existent individuality and his transgression past, Weinstein utilized the sanction "Mike Konig" erstwhile communicating with investors.
In summation to the transgression charges facing Weinstein, the Securities and Exchange Commission connected Wednesday filed a civilian complaint against him and 5 different alleged co-conspirators.
"Over and over, the defendants took wealth from unsuspecting investors for fake deals and shuffled funds astir to wage retired earlier investors to springiness the mendacious content that they were receiving existent profits from those deals," said Antonia Apps, manager of the SEC's New York Regional Office successful a connection Wednesday.
