The subject of an NBC 6 investigation, Michael Mouyal, has been arrested by federal agents and charged with running a multi-million-dollar nationwide telemarketing fraud out of a call center in Miramar and two in the Dominican Republic, according to federal court documents.
The documents also said Mouyal and his wife "attempted to flee" the U.S. after the NBC 6 story aired Feb. 10.
According to the complaint, as well as telemarketers and other business associates of Mouyal, the Canadian citizen ran nearly 20 different telemarketing companies.
Most of the companies had similar models: selling insurance and extended warranties on everything from cell phones, cars, home appliances, unemployment compensation, health, travel, business equipment, and more. While the money flowed in, little or no service was provided, the complaint said.
The complaint said that in just two of those companies "more than $20 million flowed through the accounts" between 2008 and 2011. The federal complaint alleges Mouyal's telemarketers would use a massive data base to call businesses and individuals to "obtain their banking information under false pretenses and using material misrepresentation."
The complaint says Mouyal used "a variety of ruses ... including as posing as the Internal Revenue Service and claiming that they needed the banking information to issue a tax refund."
Mouyal and his co-conspirators often target small, Hispanic-owned restaurants and tricking busy employees into believing the caller was representing the business' existing vendors for office supplies and equipment repair "often reading the banking information on the phone."
Then the Mouyal enterprise would deduct small amounts from the business' bank accounts each month, according to bank statements and business associates. Victims said when they would try to stop the payments, it would sometimes take several months.
Mouyal is charged with one count of wire fraud, and remains under investigation for additional mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit crimes against the US, money laundering and more.
"Confidential informants" are cited heavily in the complaint, investigated by Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Mouyal and his brother Albert were also found guilty of similar telemarketing operations in Canada ten years ago, paid a fine, but did not serve any jail time. Florida regulators also confirm they investigated Mouyal more than a decade ago after receiving more than 150 complaints. No action was taken.
Mouyal and his wife declined comment at the time of the original NBC 6 story. It wasn't immediately known if they had attorneys.
