United States V. Max Joseph Chilson, Et Al.

Court Docket Number: 3-15CR-065-L

Max Joseph Chilson, Gunner Dell Jenkins, Antonio Enrique Martinez, Richard Mendez, Victor Sanchez, Angelina Laboy Smith, Harold Eugene Smith, and Jonathan Edward Warren were charged  in a federal indictment on February 19, 2015.  The indictment alleged that between March 2009 and March 2011, the defendants, possibly using the companies named in the indictment, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently induce timeshare property owners to send them money.  The telemarketers promised victims that buyers existed for their timeshares.  To consummate the promised sale of the property, the telemarketer instructed the victim to pay “closing costs” for the sale.  Once the victim agreed to pay the money, the telemarketer told the victim that another “department” of the company would call them to verify the payment, but that the victim should deny that the telemarketer “promised” a buyer.  The company also required the victim to sign a contract allowing the company to market the property, however, the telemarketer made the victim believe the closing would happen quickly.  Also, the victims were often told that if the sale fell through, they would get their money back and get the money placed in escrow by the buyer. Once the victim sent the money, either by check, credit card, or wire transfer, the telemarketer or customer service representative would make excuses and delay the promised “closing” for approximately 90 days, so as to prevent the victim from successfully stopping payment on the check or obtaining a charge back on the credit card.

If you believe you were a victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, possibly using the below company names, please go to www.postalinspectorsurvey.com/haffar and complete the questionnaire:  To access the questionnaire, please input the user name timeshare and the password uspis.

Resorts Condos Management;
Timeshare Goldline;
JAMS Management;
Vision Ventures Inc.;
Timeshare Services Today;
Vacation Equity Marketing, Inc.;
Maximum Properties;
Universal Processing Services of Wisconsin, LLC, also known as Newtek Merchant Solutions;
HES Merchant Services, Inc.;
Interval Equity Marketing, Inc.;
Vacations And Resorts; and
Visionary Investments, LLC.

If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed, you may contact the government at the e-mail address USATXN-TimeShareFraud@usdoj.gov.

Documents

• Indictment
• Press Release
• Government's Motion and Order to Authorize Alternative Procedures Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3771(d)(2)