Man Sentenced for Role in Scheme to Defraud the Export-Import Bank of the United States
WASHINGTON, March 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a result of the efforts of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), in coordination with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, a Florida business owner was sentenced to 36 months' probation and ordered to pay over $140,000 for his role in a scheme to defraud EXIM.
On or about April 28, 2016, Romel Ramon Duran-Martinez (Duran), 59, owner of Miami-based Deoca Manufacturing Co. (Deoca), falsely certified that the buyer in an EXIM-insured transaction failed to make payment on a sale to Deoca. At the time, Duran was aware that his business (Deoca) had already received payment in full from the foreign buyer. Duran's actions caused EXIM's Enhanced Assignee (a Miami-based commercial lender) to file a fraudulent claim against Deoca's EXIM insurance policy after the default, improperly releasing Duran and Deoca from its obligation to repay the Enhanced Assignee. EXIM paid $142,472 for the fraudulent claim although Deoca had received full payment for the transaction. To conceal this fraud, Duran directed individuals to lie and otherwise deal with EXIM in bad faith, which delayed the discovery of the fraud.
On February 16, 2021, after pleading guilty to one count of grand theft in the second degree for the fraud he perpetrated against EXIM, Duran was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation by the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. Because Duran previously paid approximately $39,000.00 to EXIM in administrative repayments prior to the Court's ruling, the Court further ordered Duran to pay $110,970.66 in restitution to EXIM, $29,029.34 for investigative costs, as well as a $603 Special Assessment Fee.
This case was prosecuted by the Economic Crimes Division of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. The case was investigated by EXIM OIG in Washington, D.C.
EXIM is the official export credit agency of the United States and assists in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets.
EXIM OIG is an independent office within EXIM. The OIG receives and investigates complaints and information concerning violations of law, rules or regulations, fraud against EXIM, mismanagement, waste of funds, and abuse of authority connected with EXIM's programs and operations. Additional information about the OIG can be found at www.exim.gov/oig. Complaints and reports of waste, fraud, and abuse related to EXIM programs and operations can be reported to the OIG Hotline at 888-OIG-EXIM (888-644-3946) or via email at [email protected].
SOURCE Export-Import Bank of the United States, Office of Inspector General
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