TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) -- Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Monday that four individuals were charged for their alleged involvement in defrauding investors with foreign exchange options and land development schemes.
Between 2005 and 2010, Anthony St. Prix, Wanda Morales, Guerdin Lecorps and Charles Angrand allegedly defrauded Haitian-Americans throughout South Florida out of about $4 million.
The defendants were charged with first degree felony counts of money laundering, grand theft, racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
"I applaud the Office of Financial Regulation for their investigative work, which resulted in the arrests for this multi-million dollar scam," Bondi said in a statement.
"My Office of Statewide Prosecution will prosecute this case and seek restitution for those who lost money due to this scheme."
The defendants allegedly led victims to invest in properties in Southwest and Central Florida based on promises that the defendants would develop the land. St. Prix, Morales, Lecorps and Angrand allegedly never owned the land nor did they have contracts to buy the land.
The defendants also allegedly made offers to double investor money with foreign exchange options, which they were unqualified and unlicensed to do.
Drew Breakspear, the commissioner of the OFR, said preying on members of your own community is a particularly heinous offense.
He said the OFR is working with Bondi's office and other agencies to identify and prosecute individuals who attempt to act illegally for their own financial gain.