Whistleblower News From The Inside -- November 1, 2017

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

Russian Cyber-Criminal Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Role in $50 Million in Online Identity Theft – According to Roman Valeryevich Seleznev’s admissions in his plea agreement, Carder.su was an Internet-based, international criminal enterprise whose members trafficked in compromised credit card account data and counterfeit identifications and committed identity theft, bank fraud, and computer crimes. Seleznev admitted that the group tried to protect the anonymity and the security of the enterprise from both rival organizations and law enforcement. The Carder.su organization’s criminal activities resulted in loss to its victims of at least $50 million. DOJ

SEC Charges Florida Penny Stock Operators With Defrauding Elderly Investors – The SEC charged two individuals with defrauding elderly investors in a penny stock scheme involving Florida entertainment companies and their “Spongebuddy” product. The SEC’s complaint charges Joseph A. Rubbo and Angela Beckcom Rubbo Monaco, both of Coral Springs, Florida, with defrauding investors through offerings by their companies VIP TV LLC, VIP Television Inc., and The Spongebuddy LLC.  Rubbo and Monaco are repeat offenders whose prior securities schemes resulted in criminal convictions against Rubbo and SEC injunctions against both Rubbo and Monaco. SEC

Rapper DMX pleads guilty to U.S. tax fraud charge – Rap artist and actor DMX pleaded guilty in federal court to avoiding paying $1.7 million in taxes from 2000 to 2005 by shifting money among accounts belonging to managers and associates. DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to one count of tax fraud. Prosecutors had accused him of hiding millions of dollars he earned from hit songs, including “X Gon’ Give it to Ya” and “Where the Hood At.” Reuters