SAN JOSE– United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced today that a federal grand jury in San Jose has indicted 14 individuals in California and Florida for their role in defrauding, and extorting fees from, hundreds of moving customers throughout the United States. The defendants named in the indictment are:
Amit Ezyoni, 36, of Boca Raton, Florida
Asaf Nass, 34, of Santa Clara, California
Limor Gefen, 31, of Santa Clara, California
Eli Kaupp, 26, of Lakeland, Florida
Daniel Rangel, 32, of Gilroy, California
Barak Braunshtain, 32, of Margate, Florida
Randy Goldberg, 37, of Aventura, Florida
Brandy Aycock, 31, of Davie, Florida
David Lamondin, 35, of San Diego, California
Matthew Sandomir, 31, of Davie, Florida
Stuart Sheinfeld, 36, of Las Vegas, Nevada
Carol Hauessler, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Christopher Sariol, 27, of Hallandale Beach, Florida; and
Eduardo Subirats, 31, of Miami, Florida.
The indictment alleges a scheme to defraud and extort customers in residential moves by offering potential customers extremely low moving estimates, taking possession of customers’ property, subsequently increasing the price of the transport of the customers’ goods, and thereafter withholding delivery of the goods until the customers paid the fraudulently inflated price. The indictment was returned on December 13, 2007 and was unsealed today. These charges are the result of a three-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.
According to the indictment, six of the defendants (Amit Ezyoni, Asaf Nass, Limor Gefen, Eli Kaupp, Barak Braunshtain, and Daniel Rangel) worked for AY Transport, Inc. also known by the names Progressive Van Lines and Midwest Relocation Services. AY Transport was a moving company with offices in San Jose. Eight of the defendants (Randy Goldberg, Brandy Aycock, David Lamondin, Matthew Sandomir, Stuart Sheinfeld, Carol Hauessler, Christopher Sariol, and Eduardo Subirats) worked for National Moving Network, a national moving broker in Miami, Florida.
Defendant Amit Ezyoni was the owner and chief executive officer (CEO) of AY Transport (“AY”). As owner and CEO, defendant Ezyoni ran the day-to-day operations of AY. Defendant Asaf Nass was the operations manager of AY. As operations manager, defendant Nass assisted in running the day-to-day operations of AY. Defendant Limor Gefen was the office manager of AY. As office manager, defendant Gefen handled customer complaints and assisted in the day-to-day operations of AY.
Defendants Eli Kaupp, Daniel Rangel, and Barak Braunshtain were drivers for AY. As drivers, defendants Kaupp, Rangel, and Braunshtain participated in the loading and delivery of customers’ goods and interacted directly with customers.
Defendant Randy W. Goldberg was the owner and president of the National Moving Network (“NMN”). As owner and president, defendant Goldberg ran the day-to-day operations of NMN. Defendant Brandi Aycock was the sales manager for NMN. As sales manager, defendant Aycock supervised sales representatives in their assigned tasks of soliciting customers, taking customer inventories, providing customers with weight and price estimates, collecting customer deposits, and scheduling dates for the loading of customer goods.
Defendants David Lamondin, Matthew Sandomir, Stuart Sheinfeld, Carol Hauessler, Christopher Sariol, and Eduardo Subirats were sales representatives for NMN. As sales representatives, they solicited customers, took customer inventories, provided customers with weight and price estimates, collected customer deposits, and scheduled dates for the loading of customer goods.
According to the indictment, the defendants unjustly enriched themselves by luring customers into doing business with NMN by offering them extremely low moving estimates, taking possession of customers’ property and then subsequently increasing the price of AY’s transport of the customers’ goods, and thereafter withholding delivery of their goods until the customers paid the fraudulently inflated price to AY.
The maximum statutory penalty for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud and extortion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, is five years and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for the counts of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate. The maximum statutory penalty for the counts of extortion in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951 is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for the counts of money laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) (conspiracy) and 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) (money laundering–promotion) is 20 years and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, or whichever is greater. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Jeff Nedrow is the Assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting this case with the assistance of Susan Kreider.
