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Press Release

Texas Man Arraigned on Wire Fraud Charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Xavier Walton, age 26, of San Antonio, Texas, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with fraudulently soliciting and receiving payments from timeshare owners, including a resident of Saratoga Springs, New York. 

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

According to the indictment, Walton participated in a scheme to defraud timeshare owners by soliciting “tax” and “fee” payments under false pretenses.  The scheme involved offering to pay a timeshare owner in exchange for renting their timeshare property, and then instructing the owner to send payment to Walton’s company, AB Transfer, Inc., for fees and taxes that the victim was told needed to be paid in order for the rental to occur.  Timeshare owners who sent payments to AB Transfer, Inc. received nothing in return. 

As a result of the scheme, Walton received a total of more than $285,000 from at least 23 individuals, including a resident of Saratoga Springs, New York.  Other victims reside in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ontario, Canada.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Walton was arraigned today in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and released with conditions pending a trial.

If convicted of wire fraud, Walton faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina H. Schoenberger.

Updated February 13, 2018

Topic
Financial Fraud