Case 8:19-cv-00144-JDW-AEP Document 1 Filed 01/18/19 Page 1 of 10 PageID 1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
TAMPA DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v. Case No.

$919,251.94 SEIZED FROM

THREE GROW FINANCIAL
CREDIT UNION ACCOUNTS,
A 2016 SILVER LEXUS RC 350,
AND APPROXIMATELY $809.94
HELD IN GROW FINANCIAL CREDIT
UNION ACCOUNT 0001522160553

Defendant.

VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR FORFEITURE IN REM

In accordance with Rule G(2) of the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty

or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions, Plaintiff the United States

of America brings this complaint and alleges upon information and belief as

follows:

NATURE OF THE ACTION

1. This is a civil action in rem to forfeit to the United States of

America, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C) and Rule G(2): (1)

$919,251.94 seized from three accounts at Grow Financial Credit Union

(Grow Financial), held in the name of Ramon Christopher Blanchett; (2) a

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2016 silver Lexus RC 350 registered in the name of Blanchett; and (3)

approximately $809.94 held in Blanchett’s Grow Financial account number

0001522160553 (collectively, the Defendant Assets), because they constitute

or are derived from proceeds traceable to a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.

The Defendant Assets are thus property constituting or derived from proceeds

traceable to a violation of an offense constituting “specified unlawful activity”

(as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7)) and are subject to civil forfeiture to the

United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C).

JURISDICTION AND VENUE

2. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over an action

commenced by the United States by virtue of 28 U.S.C. § 1345, and over an

action for forfeiture by virtue of 28 U.S.C. § 1355.

3. This Court has in rem jurisdiction over the Defendant Assets

because venue properly lies in the Middle District of Florida pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1395.

4. Venue is proper in the United States District Court for the

Middle District of Florida, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1395(b), because the

Defendant Assets were found and seized in this district.

5. Because the $919,251.94 and the 2016 silver Lexus RC350 are in

the government’s possession, custody, and control, the United States requests

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that the Clerk of Court issue an arrest warrant in rem, upon the filing of the

complaint, pursuant to Supplemental Rule G(3)(b)(1).

6. With regard to the approximately $809.94 held in Grow

Financial account number 0001522160553, the United States requests that the

Court enter an order finding that probable cause exists to believe that the

funds are subject to forfeiture and directing the Clerk of Court to issue an

arrest warrant in rem for the funds.

7. The United States will then execute the warrants on the

Defendant Assets pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1355(d) and Supplemental Rule

G(3)(c).

THE DEFENDANT IN REM

8. The Defendant Assets consist of:

(a) $919,251.94 seized from three Grow Financial accounts

held in Blanchet’s name, specifically:

(1) $165,727.43 from Savings Account Number

002216055,

(2) $710,080.50 from Grow Financial Money Market

Account Number 001022160558, and

(3) $43,453.96 from Grow Financial Checking Account

Number 001522160553, which were held in
Blanchett’s name;

(b) a 2016 silver Lexus RC 350, registered to Blanchett and

bearing Florida license plate number CGH8506; and

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(c) approximately $809.94 held in Grow Financial Checking

Account Number 0001522160553.

BASIS FOR FORFEITURE

9. Pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, it is a

crime to engage in wire fraud. That statute makes it unlawful to devise any

scheme or artifice to defraud, or to obtain money by means of false or

fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, if the person transmits or

causes to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate or

foreign commerce any writings for the purpose of executing such scheme or

artifice. 18 U.S.C. § 1341.

10. The Defendant Assets are proceeds of, or traceable to, a wire

fraud scheme that operated in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, as described

below. Because the Defendant Assets represent proceeds of a violation of 18

U.S.C. § 1343, they are subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §

981(a)(1)(C), which authorizes the United States to civilly forfeit any property

that constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to a “specified unlawful

activity,” as defined in 18 U.S.C.§ 1956(c)(7). “Specified unlawful activity,”

is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7) to include offenses listed in 18 U.S.C. §

1961(1), which, in turn, includes wire fraud conducted in violation of 18

U.S.C. § 1343.

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11. As required by Rule G(2)(f), the facts set forth below support a

reasonable belief that the government will be able to meet its burden of proof

at trial. Specifically, they support a reasonable belief that the government will

be able to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the Defendant Assets

are proceeds of wire fraud.

12. Specific details of the facts and circumstances supporting the

forfeiture of the Defendant Assets have been provided by Internal Revenue

Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) Special Agent Glenn Hayag, who

states as follows:

FACTS

13. At all times relevant to this complaint, Glenn Hayag has been

employed as a Special Agent with the IRS-CI. Agent Hayag is currently

assigned to the Tampa Field Office where he investigates and makes arrests

and seizures for offenses related to Titles 18, 26, and 31 of the United States

Code. His duties include conducting complex financial investigations of

individuals and businesses involving violations of the Internal Revenue laws,

other fraudulent activities, and money laundering offenses.

14. On or about February 21, 2017, Blanchett electronically filed a

2016, Form 1040, Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040). The form was

self-prepared.

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15. Blanchett reported wages from two Forms W-2 totaling $18,497.

Blanchett listed his occupation as “free-lancer.”

16. Blanchett also reported income tax withholding of $1,000,000,

which resulted in an income tax refund of $980,000. Blanchett applied

$20,000 to his 2017 estimated tax.

17. The first Form W-2 for Blanchett reflected the employer as

Bridges Nursing and Rehabilitation (Bridges) located at 1240 Marbella Plaza

Drive, Tampa, FL 33619. Box 1 showed wages of $17,098; Box 2 shows

$1,000,000 of federal income tax withholding. In actuality, Blanchett was only

paid $2,098 in wages from Bridges and no income tax was withheld.

18. The second Form W-2 for Blanchett reflected the employer as

Sizzling Platter, LLC located at 348 East Winchester, Suite 200, Murray, UT

84107. Box 1 showed wages of $1,399; Box 2 shows $0 of federal income tax

withholding. This Form W-2 was accurate.

19. Based on Blanchett’s submission of the Form 1040, falsely

representing that $1,000,000 in taxes had been withheld, the U.S. Treasury

issued check number 403808854305, made payable to Blanchett, for $980,000.

20. Blanchett deposited the U.S. Treasury check into two SunTrust

accounts: $979,000 was deposited into SunTrust account 1000195178776

and $1,000 was deposited into SunTrust account 1000208234376.

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21. After having frozen the funds for suspected fraud, on May 16,

2018, SunTrust mailed a closing letter to Blanchett with cashier’s check

number 16581477, in the amount of $980,000.

22. Blanchett opened Grow Financial Money Market Account

Number 0001022160558 by depositing a cashier’s check from SunTrust Bank

in the amount of $980,000 on or about July 27, 2018. Blanchett falsely

represented to Grow Financial that the funds were from the estate of his

deceased father.

23. On or about August 8, 2018, Blanchett transferred $50,000 from

the Grow Financial Money Market Account to his Grow Financial Savings

Account (account number 002216055) and transferred $20,000 from the Grow

Financial Money Market Account to his Grow Financial Checking Account

(account number 0001522160553). Later that same day, Blanchett

transferred $30,000 from Savings Account Number 002216055 to Checking

Account Number 0001522160553.

24. On or about August 9, 2018, Blanchett transferred $200,000 from

his Grow Financial Money Market Account to Saving Account Number

002216055.

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25. Blanchett later withdrew $49,117.59 in the form of a cashier’s

check from Grow Financial Checking Account Number 0001522160553, and

on August 9, 2018, used those funds to purchase the 2016 silver Lexus RC350.

26. IRS-CI seized the 2016 Lexus RC 350, pursuant to a federal

seizure warrant.

27. On August 21, 2018, Grow Financial issued to IRS-CI a cashier’s

check for the remaining balance of the funds in Blanchett’s accounts, which

totaled $919,251.94, pursuant to a federal seizure warrant.

28. On August 9, 2018, Blanchett obtained car insurance for the

silver Lexus RC 350 from Progressive Insurance. The $1,452 policy premium

was paid from Checking Account Number 0001522160553. Once Blanchett

no longer had possession of a vehicle, it appears that he cancelled the car

insurance policy and Progressive Insurance refunded him the remainder of the

premium. On November 1, 2018, the $809.94 Progressive Insurance refund

was credited to Blanchett’s Grow Financial Checking Account.

29. Based on the foregoing, probable cause exists to believe that the

Defendant Assets are subject to forfeiture to the United States under 18 U.S.C.

§ 981(a)(1)(C) as proceeds of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C.§ 1343.

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CONCLUSION
30. As required by Supplemental Rule G(2)(f), the facts set forth

herein support a reasonable belief that the government will be able to meet its

burden of proof at trial.

Dated: January 18, 2019 Respectfully submitted,

MARIA CHAPA LOPEZ

United States Attorney

By:
JAMES A. MUENCH
Assistant United States Attorney
Florida Bar No. 472867
400 North Tampa Street, Suite 3200
Tampa, Florida 33602
Telephone: (813) 274-6000
Facsimile: (813) 274-6220
E-mail: [email protected]

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VERIFICATION

I, Glenn B, Hayag, hereby verify and declare under penalty of perjury,

that I am a Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal

Investigation (IRS-CI), and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746, that I have read the

foregoing Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in Rem and know the contents

thereof, and that the matters contained in the Verified Complaint are true to

my own knowledge and belief.

The sources of my knowledge and information and the grounds of my

belief are the official files and records of the United States, information

supplied to me by other law enforcement officers, as well as my investigation

of this case together with other IRS Special Agents.

I hereby verify and declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is

true and correct.

Exe~uted this 18th day of January, 2019.

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