The criminal activities began in late 2020 when Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, 23, from West Palm Beach, and his co-conspirators targeted cryptocurrency accounts through SIM swapping. By 2022, the gang had expanded their criminal operations to include home invasions, with St Felix leading a team that executed violent attacks in Florida, including in Delray Beach and Homestead. One notable incident involved the kidnapping and assault of a victim in Homestead, who was found 120 miles from home.
A man from Florida received a 47-year prison sentence on Wednesday for his involvement in a series of home invasion robberies aimed at stealing cryptocurrency. From September 5 to September 12, a total of 12 individuals have been sentenced in connection with this criminal operation.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that 25-year-old Remy Ra St Felix from West Palm Beach, along with his accomplices, managed to steal more than $3.5 million from their victims through SIM swapping and brutal home invasions. During these attacks, they threatened victims with firearms, physically assaulted them, and restrained them using plastic cable ties.
St Felix was found guilty by a federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, on June 25, following a six-day trial. Besides his lengthy prison term, he will also face five years of supervised release and is required to pay restitution amounting to $524,153.39.
According to court records and evidence presented in trial, it reveals that starting in late 2020, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, 23, from West Palm Beach, along with his accomplices, engaged in a scheme to steal cryptocurrency from victims' accounts on exchanges.
They managed to access these accounts by taking control of the victims' phone numbers through a method known as SIM swapping. By 2022, Seemungal and his partners had developed a plan for home invasions and enlisted St Felix and others to help carry out these attacks.
Eventually, St Felix took charge of the home invasion team. In September 2022, he and his crew executed violent home invasions in Delray Beach and Homestead, Florida. During the Delray Beach incident, victims were threatened at gunpoint inside their residence. In Homestead, a man and his family were similarly threatened, and the man was subsequently kidnapped, held captive, and assaulted before being discovered by law enforcement 120 miles away from his home.
In April 2023, St Felix and 23-year-old Elmer Ruben Castro from West Palm Beach broke into the home of a married couple in Durham, North Carolina. Before the break-in, St Felix's accomplices had illegally accessed the couple's email account and spent several days monitoring their residence. Once inside, the intruders brutally attacked the couple, brandished firearms, and bound them with plastic ties.
They coerced the husband into granting access to his computer and cryptocurrency exchange account. Seemungal then remotely infiltrated the computer, making off with over $150,000 worth of cryptocurrency. The conspirators laundered the stolen funds using privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, along with "instant exchanges" and decentralized finance platforms that bypassed know-your-customer regulations.
In July 2023, St. Felix made his way from Florida to Long Island, New York, with the intention of breaking into a home occupied by a family of five. However, his plans were thwarted when he was apprehended before he could execute the invasion. At the time of his arrest, he was found with two firearms and plastic cable ties in his possession.
During the course of their conspiracy, the group communicated through an encrypted messaging app to strategize their criminal activities. They pinpointed potential targets and deliberated on methods for gaining access to homes, the necessary tools for their operations, the intricacies of cryptocurrency, and the daily routines of their victims.
They even shared images of their targets and their residences. Beyond the aforementioned home invasions, the conspirators utilized the encrypted app to coordinate further robbery plans in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Georgia. Seemungal and his international accomplices funded the acquisition of rental vehicles, hotel accommodations, and firearms through co-conspirators Haisel Daily, 22, from West Palm Beach, and Ruben Matias Nicolopulos Silva, 22, from Lake Worth, Florida, for use during these heists.
Michael Seemungal was handed a hefty sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, he must pay $4,038,479.39 in restitution. Seemungal, who had pleaded guilty to charges of cryptocurrency theft and involvement in a home invasion and robbery scheme, faced the court on September 14.
This case is part of a broader crackdown on a criminal ring involved in a series of serious offenses. On February 6, co-defendant Manuel Castro admitted guilt to charges of conspiracy and kidnapping, with sentencing set for October 1.
Recent court proceedings have also seen several other members of the conspiracy sentenced for their roles. On September 11, Jose Alfredo Avila, 27, from West Palm Beach, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with four years of supervised release and ordered to pay $365,100 in restitution. Similarly, another conspirator, Contreras, was sentenced on September 5 to 15 years behind bars, followed by five years of supervised release, and must pay $355,800 in restitution.
The court handed down an even more severe sentence to Daily, who received 25 years in prison, four years of supervised release, and a restitution order of $524,153.39. Gonzalez faced 12 years in prison and a restitution of $355,800, with three years of supervised release.
Several others were also sentenced: Nathan Noel Quintana, 24, from Royal Palm Beach, received 16 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release and $365,100 in restitution. Silva and Cristian Valdez were both sentenced to 12 years in prison with restitution orders of $524,153.39 and $355,800, respectively. Jesus Valdez and Jesus Manuel Santiago III are both awaiting sentencing on October 1.
Additionally, on May 29 and 30, Salazar and Gamez admitted to conspiracy charges related to robbery. Salazar was sentenced on September 5 to five years in prison and ordered to pay $355,800 in restitution, while Gamez received an eight-year prison term, three years of supervised release, and the same restitution amount.
These sentences reflect the serious nature of the crimes committed and serve as a stern warning against involvement in similar criminal activities.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Steven Wick Blog. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.
If you decide to purchase any item using our authorized referral/affiliate links, be aware, we may receive a portion of the sales as commission, i.e. if you purchase a product/service.
To shop, select or click buttons, links or images, you will be redirected to product pages. Please, carefully research before you purchase. Feel free to share and leave a comment, we would love to hear from you. Your feedback is very important to us.
For more like this, music, literature, news, fashion, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Steven Wick News Letter.
We here at the Steven Wick Blog are so proud of our work, we’d like to thank you for being a part of our community. However, our mission to share so much from music, literature, lifestyle to fashion is a 24/7 undertaking! We need your help to continue our work. Your financial donation will help us not only keep the lights on, but enable us run many more stories in the future to come. DONATE HERE
Message Of Gratitude
We deeply appreciate your contribution in making our blog the top brand among customers.
Without you as our readers, we wouldn't have achieved this level of success. Your satisfaction is our utmost priority, and we assure you that we will always be a reliable source for your entertainment needs.
Your trust in us is invaluable, and we are grateful for your generous donations as our readers.
A number of you took an extra effort and opted to contribute as monthly donors. By doing so, your generous contribution is multiplied by twelve throughout the year, thereby amplifying the impact you have on our work. Your dedication truly makes a significant change, and we sincerely appreciate your valuable support.
Your support has been instrumental in our brand's success.
Thank you for being with us throughout the past year.
As we continue to grow and enhance our business, we pledge to prioritize your needs and interests.
Best Regards
The Steven Wick Team
Comentarios