Indictment Returned in Hammond Federal Court

HAMMOND, IN—The United States Attorney’s Office announced that the following indictment was returned on January 4, 2012:

Eugene Wilson, Sr., 55, of Merrillville, Indiana, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with wire fraud and structuring. From January 2006 through at least 2008, Wilson devised a scheme to defraud investors by promising a high rate of return on their investments. As a further inducement, Wilson promised to keep investor funds in an escrow account. After receiving money from the investors, Wilson immediately transferred the funds to banks in Europe or spent the money on himself and others. Wilson then concealed his actions by lying to the investors about the location of the money. Wilson also repeatedly promised to return the money. As a result of the scheme to defraud and obtain money, Wilson obtained approximately 1.5 million dollars from the investors. Wilson also knowingly structured or assisted in structuring a currency transaction by engaging in a series of bank transactions to avoid the bank reporting that he had received more than $10,000 in cash. These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gary Bell.

The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.