South Florida Resident Sentenced to More than Eighteen Years in Prison for Impersonating a Member of

[TexasTowelie]

South Florida Resident Sentenced to More than Eighteen Years in Prison for Impersonating a Member of the Saudi Royal Family in Order to Swindle Millions from Investors

The Impersonation Scheme Involved Wire Fraud, Fake Diplomatic License Plates, Expensive Jewelry, Artwork, Luxury Automobiles, Yachts, Private Jets, and International Trips


Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Frederick R. Stolper, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Miami Field Office, announced that Anthony Gignac, a/k/a “Khaled Al-Saud,” a/k/a “Khalid Al-Saud,” a/k/a “Khalid Bin Al-Saud,” a/k/a “Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Saud,” a/k/a “Sultan Bin Khalid Al Saud,” 48, of Miami, was sentenced today by U.S District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga to a total of 224 months in prison for fraudulently assuming the identity of a member of the Saudi Royal family in order to build relationships worldwide, including in South Florida, receive gifts, and conduct a large-scale scheme to defraud would-be investors.

“Over the course of the last three decades, Anthony Gignac has portrayed himself as a Saudi Prince in order to manipulate, victimize, and scam countless investors from around the world. As the leader of a sophisticated, multi-person, international fraud scheme, Gignac used his fake persona – Prince Khalid Bin Al-Saud – to sell false hope. He sold his victims on hope for their families, careers, and future. As a result, dozens of unsuspecting investors were stripped of their investments, losing more than $8 million,” stated U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “Today, in a federal court of law, justice spoke for the victims, and Anthony Gignac will now face years in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the dedicated efforts of our partners with the Diplomatic Security Service for their commitment to this extensive investigation, their international reach, and their protection of our global community.”

“The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to investigating allegations of crime related to international fraud schemes,” said DSS Special Agent in Charge Stopler. “Our tremendous success in finally closing this case could never have been possible if not for the global reach of DSS and the close cooperation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

Gignac previously pled guilty to impersonating a foreign diplomat or foreign government official, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 915, aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(1)(a), wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 (Case No. 17-CR-20891).

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/south-florida-resident-sentenced-more-eighteen-years-prison-impersonating-member-saudi