NASHVILLE, TN – A federal indictment unsealed today, charges Gregory Michael Vogel, aka Gregory Michael Schneider, 49, formerly of Hendersonville, Tenn. and Gallatin, Tenn., with eight counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in relation to an investment scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Vogel was arrested this morning by federal agents and will make an appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge later today.
According to the indictment, between April 2015 and May 2019, Vogel devised a scheme to defraud investors by soliciting individuals to make investments with his company in foreign currency exchange (forex) websites and software. Vogel claimed that these forex websites would generate substantial revenue, providing investors with thousands of dollars in monthly profits, before eventually being sold to a third party, so that Vogel and the investor could both realize an even greater return on the investment.
The indictment also alleges that Vogel induced investors to make investments in the forex websites by omitting and concealing material information about Vogel’s background and investment history, his management of the forex websites, his breaches of promises and contractual provisions, and the actual ownership structure of the forex websites.
Some of the omitted material information included that Vogel, under his prior name of Gregory Michael Schneider, had been sued by investors for a previous investment offering and was found liable for committing fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and conversion, among other acts. As a result, Vogel was permanently enjoined from soliciting or providing any business investments or investment advice in the future. Vogel had also been sued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and entered into a consent order in which he was permanently enjoined from trading or participating in certain transactions supervised by the CFTC.
As a result of this scheme, Vogel and his business received more than $1 million from more than a dozen investors, much of which he converted to his own personal use.
If convicted, Vogel faces up to 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count, and up to 10 years in prison for money laundering. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation in which the government seeks to forfeit any property derived from the proceeds of the crimes, including a money judgement in the amount of at least $1,177,540.00.
This case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
