A federal grand jury has indicted an Alabama couple for their involvement in a nationwide scam.
The two are charged with operating an illegal pyramid scheme that defrauded thousands of participants of more than $10 million.
LaShonda and Marlon Moore are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
They allegedly defrauded victims by coercing them to join an illegal pyramid scheme, promising riches through their company, “Blessings in No Time,” which is named in a lawsuit filed jointly by the Federal Trade Commission and the states of Arkansas and Texas.
According to the Department of Justice, if convicted, both the wife and husband face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison for each money laundering count.
The Moores told those who signed up for their program that they could “expect 800% guaranteed returns and guaranteed refunds,” but complaints filed by thousands claim that this was not true.
Yolanda Robertson, a Georgia native, claimed to be a victim of the Moores’ pyramid scheme. She informed the courts that she had invested her last remaining funds into the program during the pandemic, hoping to replicate her friend’s success in making easy money. Robertson stated that her friend had participated in the program and received $11,400.
However, her experience was different. When she didn’t receive any returns on her investment, she requested a refund as her home was on the brink of foreclosure. According to Robertson, her pleas for a refund went unanswered, and she never received any reimbursement.
The “Blessings in No Time” company was cloaked in the welcoming rhetoric of being a faith-based institution that invited people during the COVID-19 pandemic to invest for a quick return. The intricately tiered Sous Sous system was set up with levels based on nature’s elements.
“The Moores allegedly organized BINT’s payment scheme with ‘playing boards’ that had eight Fire positions, four Wind positions, two Earth positions, and one Water position. As alleged, players in the Fire position advanced on the board by paying at least $1400 to the person in the Water position and recruiting two new Fire-level participants, at which point the cycle would repeat,” the DOJ explained in a release about the indictment.
Eight new participants were needed to join the scheme before the initial person could receive a return on their investment.
The couple allegedly positioned themselves and their family members in the Water position across various boards, allowing them to receive payments from participants in the Fire position. Additionally, they amassed a significant amount from the monthly user fees paid by participants, which were mandatory for participation in “Blessings in No Time.”
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