Two more indicted for biodiesel scam, millions defrauded via EPA managed RIN biodiesel credit program, false statements made v Clean Air Act, keeps taxpayer paid lawyers busy and rich and courts clogged

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These two arrests involved the EPA Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI, The US Secret Service, the Dept. of Homeland Security, and multiple branches of the US Justice Dept.

1/16/14, "Two Men Charged in Las Vegas in Biofuels Scheme," FBI.gov

"Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Las Vegas for offenses involving the federal renewable fuel program that allegedly netted them more than $37 million, announced the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Criminal Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. The 57-count indictment against James Jariv, 63, of Las Vegas, and Nathan Stoliar, 64, of Australia, includes allegations of conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements under the Clean Air Act, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. 

The indictment was unsealed late Wednesday following Jariv’s initial appearance in federal court in Las Vegas, which followed his arrest on Tuesday. Stoliar resides in Australia.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 created a number of federally funded programs that provided monetary incentives for the production of biodiesel and to encourage biodiesel use in the United States. Biodiesel producers and importers could generate and attach credits known as “renewable identification numbers,” or RINs, to biodiesel they produced or imported. Because certain companies need RINs to comply with regulatory obligations, RINs have significant market value. In addition, in order to create an incentive for biodiesel in the United States to be used in the United States, anyone who exports biodiesel is required to obtain these valuable RINs and provide them to EPA. The market price charged for exported biodiesel therefore includes the value an exporter is required to later spend to acquire these RINs....

The indictment alleges that the defendants created false records and made false statements to conceal their fraudulent claims of biodiesel production, importation, sale, and fraudulent RIN generation. 

Finally, the indictment alleges that the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of their crimes, utilizing foreign banking institutions and complex financial transactions to conceal the illegal nature of the funds they received, and to attempt to protect these funds from government enforcement. Today, the United States also seized and restrained the assets contained in a number bank accounts utilized by the defendants, as well as several pieces of real and personal property in Las Vegas, Nevada.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The collaborative investigation that led to today’s arrest and seizures was the result of work by

the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and 
the FBI,

with assistance from

the United States Secret Service and 
the Department of Homeland Security.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Wayne D. Hettenbach of

the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Crane M. Pomerantz and Daniel D. Hollingsworth of

the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nevada, and Trial Attorney Darrin L. McCullough

of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division,

Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, 

with the assistance of

the Justice Department’s

Office of International Affairs."

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9/19/2013, "Montvale pair indicted in $100 million biofuel scam," Bergen Record, northjersey.com, Hugh R. Morley


(Above two paragraphs are from Bergen Record article. Article wouldn't copy and paste, so I snipped 2 parags. ed.)

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Federal authorities have charged two executives of a pair of Park Ridge alternative energy companies with participating in a biofuels scheme that defrauded taxpayers, consumers and investors of more than $100 million, and spending the proceeds on real estate, jewelry, artworks and a Ferrari. - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/224430781_Montvale_pair_indicted_in__100_million_biofuel_scam.html?page=all#sthash.INOkndPn.dpuf

Montvale pair indicted in $100 million biofuel scam

Thursday, September 19, 2013    Last updated: Friday September 20, 2013, 10:27 AM

BY  HUGH R. MORLEY

STAFF WRITER

The Record

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/224430781_Montvale_pair_indicted_in__100_million_biofuel_scam.html?page=all#sthash.INOkndPn.dpu

1/16/14, "Biodiesel RINs prices firm amid more charges of RINs fraud," Houston (Platts.com)

"Prices for biomass-based diesel (D4) RINs ticked up slightly in reaction to another alleged case of fraudulence in the biodiesel RINs marketplace.

Biodiesel RINs for 2013 were assessed 1 cent higher at $0.34/RIN Thursday after two men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Las Vegas for offenses involving the federal renewable fuel program that allegedly netted them more than $37 million, according to the US Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division and the US Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada.

The 57-count indictment against James Jariv, 63, of Las Vegas, and Nathan Stoliar, 64, of Australia, includes allegations of conspiracy, wire fraud, false statements under the Clean Air Act, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to engage in money laundering."...



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