Ocala Man Indicted For Wire Fraud And Price Gouging Related To The Sale Of COVID-19 Facemasks
Summary
A press release of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida dated Thursday, June 12, 2025, announcing an indictment charging Frank Adriel Romero Leandro, 34, of Ocala, with wire fraud and price gouging related to the sale of COVID-19 facemasks. It states that he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud and up to 1 year for price gouging, and that the United States intends to forfeit $1,234,360.46 alleged to be traceable to the offenses. According to the indictment, between March 16, 2020, and February 10, 2021, he sold goods online under the business name Trend Deploy, falsely representing that he sold N95 facemasks, filling orders with cheaper alternatives and charging prices above prevailing market prices. It was announced by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
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Press Release Ocala Man Indicted For Wire Fraud And Price Gouging Related To The Sale Of COVID-19 Facemasks Thursday, June 12, 2025 For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Frank Adriel Romero Leandro (34, Ocala) with wire fraud and price gouging. If convicted, Romero faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and up to 1 year in federal prison for the price gouging offense. The indictment also notifies Romero that the United States intends to forfeit $1,234,360.46, which are funds that are alleged to be traceable as proceeds of the offenses. According to the indictment, between March 16, 2020, and February 10, 2021, Romero was the sole creator and editor of a website, trendeploy.com, through which he sold goods under the business name “Trend Deploy.” Romero made false representations on his website that he sold N95 facemasks. When customers ordered N95 facemasks from Romero over the internet, he would instead purchase cheaper alternatives (not N95 facemasks) to fulfill the orders. He also sold the facemasks at prices more than the prevailing market prices. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Trade Commission. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by visiting the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . Updated June 13, 2025 Topics Coronavirus Disaster Fraud Financial Fraud Component USAO - Florida, Middle Related Content Press Release Ponte Vedra Beach Man Pleads Guilty In Fraud Scheme Involving COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that James Elliott Davis, II (36, Ponte Vedra Beach) has pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and... July 10, 2025 Press Release Honduran National Sentenced To 21 Months In Federal Prison For Facilitating $7.6 Million Payroll Scheme To Defraud The IRS And Workers’ Compensation Insurance Company Jacksonville, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Ana Romero (43, Honduras) to 21 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United... July 8, 2025 Press Release St. Petersburg Man Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Federal Prison For Committing $1.2 Million Fraud Scheme While In Florida State Prison Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jared Borgesto Murray (41, St. Petersburg) to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire... July 3, 2025
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