FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Lauren Horwood
September 7, 2011	PHONE: (916) 554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae	usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: 1:10-cr-00500-OWW

FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Stefan Miller, 31, formerly of Santa Clarita and now of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud and to money laundering. Miller also agreed to pay full restitution and forfeit assets seized by federal agents, including more than $950,000 in cash and a 1.5 carat diamond ring.

According to the plea agreement, Miller was the chief executive officer, secretary, chief financial officer, director, and president of Maxwell, Turner and Associates Inc. (MTA) in Bakersfield. MTA claimed to provide debt collection services. After a client signed a contract, MTA would provide false information to their clients about legal proceedings, the whereabouts of the debtor and the ability to collect the funds. When MTA collected money from the debtor, they would not send the money to their clients. MTA would frequently tell clients that additional fees were needed to continue with the litigation process, although there was no litigation actually taking place. Once the client stopped sending money, MTA would stop communicating with the client. Miller agreed that the losses to the victims of this scheme were in excess of $1 million.

Miller is the second defendant to plead guilty to this scheme. On June 17, 2011, Darrian Jeffrey Summers pleaded guilty to charges arising out of this scheme. Co-defendant Paul Anthony Vasquez is set for jury trial on February 7, 2012.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Bakersfield Police Department, and the Kern County District Attorney's Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark J. McKeon and Stanley A. Boone are prosecuting the case.

Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2011. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the mail and wire fraud. The maximum sentence for money laundering is 10 years in prison and a fine of twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering transaction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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