Identity Theft: Last News

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Ozy Media has closed its doors after Carlos Watson, the digital media and entertainment company’s founder and CEO, was arrested and indicted on federal fraud charges. ⁦‪”In light of its current operational and legal challenges, the Ozy board has determined that it’s in the best interests of its stakeholders to suspend operations immediately,” the company said on its Twitter account Wednesday. The company’s website, ozy.com, was unreachable as of Wednesday evening. On Feb. 23, Watson was arrested in Manhattan and charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in what the Justice Department alleged was a scheme to defraud Ozy’s investors and lenders. Watson was also charged with “aggravated identity theft” for his role in the impersonation of “multiple media company executives” in communications with Ozy’s lenders and prospective investors in furtherance of the fraud schemes, federal prosecutors said.

Wilson Chapman editorFederal prosecutors in Los Angeles have indicted a Redondo Beach man on fraud and identity theft charges, alleging he used the name of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s legendary Desilu production company to scam investors.Charles Hensley, 68, has been charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft for his alleged activities, which involved using the Desilu name to dupe investors into giving him money to shell corporations. The indictment stemmed from an investigation into Hensley’s businesses from the FBI and the IRS.