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Greenwich Woman Pleads Guilty in White Plains Federal Court
to Conspiracy to Defraud Regenat Investors
LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for
the Southern District of New York, and JOSEPH M. DEMAREST, JR.,
the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that
MILANA MURCIA of Greenwich, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today in
White Plains federal court to conspiring to defraud investors in
Regenat USA Holding Corporation. According to the Superseding
Information to which MURCIA pleaded guilty and statements made in
court during today’s plea proceeding:
Between May 2003 and January 2008, MURCIA, age 65,
conspired with others to induce investors to “invest” or maintain
their “investment” in Regenat Corp. and Regenat USA Holding
Corporation (“Regenat”), which were represented to be in the
business of recycling timber and waste; producing wood, charcoal,
and biomass fuel; and purifying water. MURCIA, who served as
Regenat’s Vice President, falsely described Regenat’s business
relationships to investors, told them, among other things, that
their funds were being used for business purposes, and misled
investors about a possible initial public offering of Regenat
stock. As MURCIA well knew, however, a substantial portion of
the $2.2 million invested in the Regenat entities was being
diverted to MURCIA and a coconspirator to pay for meals at
restaurants, clothes and other living expenses and to meet
alimony obligations. As a result, investors never received any
return on their investments.
MILANA MURCIA pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding
Information charging her with conspiring to commit securities
fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years and a maximum fine of $250,000 or
twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. MURCIA
also agreed to pay more than $4.5 million in restitution to
victims of the conspiracy.
Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative efforts of the
FBI.
Assistant United States Attorneys NICHOLAS McQUAID and
JASON P.W. HALPERIN are in charge of the prosecution.
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