News of U.S charging two ponzi scheme operators to court may very well throw the Nigerian operators too to jittery.
The United State filed criminal charges against the two men accused of helping operate a hedge fund as a Ponzi scheme.
The scheme is used to swindle investors in a ticket-reselling business for popular events, including the smash Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
The accused persons are Joseph Meli, who ran the ticket business, and Steven Simmons, the head of an alternative investments at Sideris Capital Partners.
Joseph Meli and his wife, Jessica Meli, exit U.S. Federal Court in Manhattan on Friday. Reuters photo.
They were arrested on Friday on securities fraud and wire fraud charges brought by Manhattan federal prosecutors.
Meli, 42, and Matthew Harriton, 52, were separately accused by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of orchestrating an $81 million Ponzi scheme by raising money from investors to buy and resell tickets for popular shows.
Those included “Hamilton,” which won 11 Tony Awards last year, and concerts featuring Adele, the SEC said.