Haitian Citizen Sentenced to 13 Months in Federal Prison for Operating Investment Fraud Scheme

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that PIERRE C. ARMAND, 77, of Bridgeport, formerly of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday, June 27, by Chief United States District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for defrauding several investors of more than $380,000.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2003, ARMAND established United World Holding Company, LLC (“World Holding”), a licensed domestic limited liability company in the State of Connecticut. ARMAND also opened a bank account in the company’s name. Between 2003 and 2009, ARMAND engaged in a scheme to defraud investors by misrepresenting to them that funds provided to him and World Holding would be used by World Holding for the construction of a building project near Dulles Airport in Virginia and for identified costs relating to that project, to purchase identified buildings in Connecticut, or for investment in other specified projects. However, ARMAND used a material portion of the invested funds for other purposes, including payments to the Alliance for the Progress of Haiti, for travel to Haiti, for other projects, and for payments to previous investors, family members and himself.

Judge Thompson ordered ARMAND to pay restitution to his victims in the total amount of $387,777.

On December 20, 2010, ARMAND pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

ARMAND is a citizen of Haiti and a permanent resident alien of the United States.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

In December 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and several law enforcement and regulatory partners announced the formation of the Connecticut Securities, Commodities and Investor Fraud Task Force, which is investigating matters relating to insider trading, market manipulation, Ponzi schemes, investor fraud, financial statement fraud, violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and embezzlement. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Fraud Section and Antitrust Division; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); Office of the Chief State’s Attorney; State of Connecticut Department of Banking; Greenwich Police Department and Stamford Police Department.

Citizens are encouraged to report any financial fraud schemes by calling, toll free, 855-236-9740, or by sending an e-mail to ctsecuritiesfraud@ic.fbi.gov.