Business ProfileforThe Closing Source LLC

USA v. Custodio et al; CASE #: 2:19-cr-00202-JTM-DPC-6

The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency. If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.

On Friday October 3, 2019, in the United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, Martin Alonso Aceves Custodio, a/k/a Robin Birmingham, a/k/a ALA, age 29, Liza Flanery Fierro, a/k/a LIE, age 33, Claudia Elena Antillon Zahuita, a/k/a Julie Batista, a/k/a KLA, age 36, Sergio Leon Kuri, a/k/a “LNK, age 38,  Jesus Adrian Ledesma Bernal, a/k/a JSS, age 31, and Julio Cesar Rivera Rojas, a/k/a JCP, age 32, all residents and citizens of Mexico, were indicted by a federal grand jury for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

The cases against Martin Alonso Aceves Custodio, a/k/a Robin Birmingham, a/k/a ALA, Liza Flanery Fierro, a/k/a LIE, Claudia Elena Antillon Zahuita, a/k/a Julie Batista, a/k/a KLA, and Sergio Leon Kuri, a/k/a “LNK are still pending.  An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed.  These four defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of twenty years of incarceration, a fine of up to $250,000 and three years of supervised release.

On August 4, 2020 in the United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, the United States of American and Jesus Adrian Ledesma Bernal entered into a Judgment in a Criminal Case.

Jesus Adrian Ledesma Bernal, a/k/a JSS, age 32, a resident and citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 18 months in the Bureau of Prisons after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana. Bernal, who worked as a telemarketer, was ordered to pay restitution of $127,000 USD, a fee of $100.00, and he is subject to deportation after serving 18 months.

On September 16, 2020 in the United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, the United States of American and Julio Cesar Rivera Rojas entered into a Judgment in a Criminal Case.

Julio Cesar Rivera Rojas, age 33, a resident and citizen of Mexico, was sentenced on September 16, 2020 to 18 months in the Bureau of Prisons after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana. Rivera Rojas, who worked as an accountant, was ordered to pay restitution of $4,000,000 USD, a fee of $100.00, and he is subject to deportation after serving 18 months.

As detailed in the factual basis and superseding bill of information, the defendants, from at least January 1, 2016, to the present, conspired together and with others to commit wire fraud in connection with a telemarketing scheme that targeted and victimized persons in the United States, Canada and South America. As part of the elaborate scheme, the conspirators made unsolicited phone calls to owners of resort timeshare properties to induce them into paying fees associated with the bogus sale of their property. The defendants misrepresented the existence of a buyer for their timeshare and solicited money from the victims to facilitate the sale. They solicited the timeshare owners to enter into agreements to sell their timeshares and pay for alleged “closing costs” with electronic wire transfers from banking institutions within the United States to Mexican banks. There were no interested buyers, the closings did not occur, and the timeshares were not resold. Instead, the conspirators simply pocketed the advanced fees. Of the U.S. victims, 40 were age 60 and older and the total estimated loss is at least $10,000,000.

The defendants, who are all based in Mexico, operated under the business names Planet Travel and Newport International Investments, and at other times used the following business names: Advance Travel INC, All American Real Estate, American International Investment Group, Bear Claw Travel, Best Investment Services, Champion Properties, Closing Source LLC, Equity Closing Services Group, Global Offshore Services, NSC Holding, Peach Title, Sandia Title, Travel and Acquisitions, Travel Innovations, Travel Plus Acquisitions, Travel Right, and World Travelers, Inc. All of these domain websites have been seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice.

This case is the product of an extensive and ongoing investigation by special agents of Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Edward J. Rivera and Paige O’Hale are prosecuting the case.  For more information, please contact the United States Department of Justice Eastern District of Louisiana at (504) 680-3000 or https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla.

BBB confirmed that The Closing Source LLC had not obtained a necessary license from Idaho Department of Insurance. BBB encourages you to contact the following agency or agencies to confirm this information: - http://www.doi.idaho.gov - 208-334-4250