Brooklyn man convicted of “Seinfeldian” scheme
Thomas John Sphraga, 56, was sentenced to almost four years in prison due to investors’ frauds over $ 2 million for companies, including a contracting corporation from Vandelai.
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Uncens – Sport
Brooklyn crypto influencing friends to invest in a false company that refers to Seinfeld’s show in the Federal Prison for Multimillion dollar Pension Pension, the Department for Justice announced on Friday.
Thomas John Sphraga, a one-time popular podcaster that used the pseudonym “ie stone”, was cheated by at least 17 people from over $ 2 million, including Vandelai’s business, inviting the drive to hit show.
Investments in the Sphraga’s Vandelai Company showed alike as VanTelai Industries – a presumed Latex Production Company – at Seinfeld. On TV Show, George Costanza Concocts Compani To persuade the state bureaucratic to seek jobs so that it can receive unemployment checks.
But Sphraga, 56, did not want to seek governments of government workers; He robbed friends, neighbors, old school colleagues, and even his baseball coach, according to federal papers.
“Sphraga stole great from friends, neighbors from the next door and parents of children who played in teams with their own children, as well as individual cryptocurnent investors,” John J. said. Durham, American lawyer for the Eastern District of New York. “There was nothing funny in his use of the Seinfeldian company, industry Vandelai, to commit this fraud, which caused severe financial and emotional damage to heavy and women who believed.”
Sphraga ran into its fraud since 2016. until 2022. Years. He told the victims – most of Brookline, Long Island and Staten Iceland – invested in real estate and cryptocurrency ventures. Money used for personal expenses instead and to return victims put them to sleep To believe him, court submissions said.
A false operation is uninterrupted in a a shameful way from Costanza. Investors are ultimately caught and the Sphraga ran into Arizona under false identity, Federal Prosecutors said. He then ran away again in Nevada where he was finally arrested for not paying his card in the casino in Las Vegas, the court records said.
The American District Judge Frederic Block condemned a 56-year-old in Brooklyn on Thursday to 45 months in prison after pleaded guilty for wire fraud in May 2024. years. The judge also ordered Sphrag to lose $ 1.3 million. The amount of the Sphrag will need to return to its victims will be determined later, said federal authorities.
The Sphrag lawyer did not answer the comment requests.
17 victims ‘Seinfeldian’ Ponzi Scheme
Among the victims, Federal Prosecutors said, whether the Sphrag people knew the school and the parents of children who played in the same team as his child. He found victims on cryptocurrent network events and stole the money talented young vapor for their wedding, the prosecutors said.
Unstruations paid to the inclusion of companies entitled to the construction of strong homes and “Virtual Wallet” Criptocurrenci in the amount, according to court applicants.
“During the challenging time in my life, because I faced a difficult and expensive divorce, (Sphraga) and we hung out,” One victim told prosecutors. “He confessed to my financial fights and offered a way to help…. He assures me as a friend.”
One person from Brooklyn thought they were joining Sphrag in the smart business scheme, as agreed. The victim worked at the bank and agreed to give Sphrag tips on foreclosures so that the two of them can invest them in properties and resell them. The Sphraga applied several payments to the victims before reducing communication, saying the court submission.
He fooled the victim with Long Island and the victim’s father to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars for real estate projects, in accordance with Affidavit. Sphraga later convinced that the same sacrifice was given $ 50,000 received in married gifts, court documents say. When the victim asked for the return of money, Sphrag said that his father, who allegedly lived in Alaska, died and had to see him.
The Sphraga’s Vandelai Corporation is reportedly related to the Cryptocurrency company – non-meaning in Affadavit – with offices in Manhattan. He met another victim in the company of the company in Manhattan where he presented as ie Stone, in apparent reference to pseudonyms used on podcast 3 people like this; And he convinced him that he would give him $ 30,000 for Wandelays “E wallets,” said Affadavit. Sphraga cashed the check that day.
When they scheduled a meeting for Sphrag to create a “Ethnic wallet” on the victim’s phone, did not appear; And when the victim asked for the return of money, Sphraga said she was in the hospital after she suffered a heart attack, the court submission said. Then Sphraga cut off the contact.
“Instead of investing money, I used one of her to cover my expenses and return earlier investors and economic associates,” said Sphrag said judges at the forefront of guilt. “I knew some of the enlargement and the guarantee I sent in investors fake and that was wrong.”
Flight and Arrest in Casino Las Vegas
Demand from investors for their money rose and Sphraga ran into Arizona where he spent his teenage years, according to prosecutors.
The Sphraga lived there under a fake return identity, court submissions say. The police picked up an unrelated property crime. The local police discovered its real name, learned that open orders and arrested him 18. September 2023., according to the prosecutor’s offices. He published $ 3,600 cash connections and ran away again.
Nevada Police in Nevada was arrested by Sphrag to an unrelated question – this time, not paying an account in Vinn Casino in Las Vegas – 23. December that year, prosecutors said.
Court submissions say that Sphraga was then transferred to federal custody on the order outside the eastern district of New York, where he was transported and brought to Brooklyn 22. January 20. January 2024. years. January 2024. Years.
Where is the Sphrag from?
The mystery of the Sphragen Fraud is that he enjoyed a decent life, the prosecutors said.
He was married to his wife described as “incredible support” in court applications. He had two healthy children who were part of local teams. And some of his business ventures were successful, and they earn even $ 100,000 a year, according to prosecutors.
The court footers say that he also made a “live salary” from his podcast, which had over a million listeners and sponsored by advertisers since 2017. until 2018 Podcast, comedy 3 people like thisThere are over 100 episodes on Apple Podcasts.
He spent his teenage years in Arizona. Sphraga moved to a state with his mom after his parents divorced, court submissions say. He went to good schools and lived at a decent area. Prosecutors said that they mostly remained without any problems, except for one unnamed “incident”. He almost played the Faculty Baseball for Arizona State University, according to court applicants.
He married and had two children after returning to Brooklyn as an adult, court documents say.
“(Sphraga) had every opportunity to enjoy productive life, who respects the right,” said prosecutors. “Instead, he chose to cheat and deceive his neighbors and friends from his savings to support his lifestyle.”
Michael Loria is a national reporter on the United States today’s vacation slave. Contact it at Mloria@usatodai.com, @ MCHAEL_MCHAEL or on a signal at (202) 290-4585.
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2025-03-15 05:35:00
