The U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a photo of $20 million
authorities found hidden in a mattress in a Westborough apartment.
The cash was inside a box spring and police say it is connected to a
pyramid scheme involving TelexFree, a Marlborough-based company that
purportedly sold VOIP telephone service.
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The cash was found earlier this month by investigators who had tailed a Brazilian man from New York.
That man, Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha, 28, was charged
with conspiring to commit money laundering.elexFree had few customers
and made most of its revenue from people buying into the company with a
promise of payouts for posting online ads for it, prosecutors have said.
They were paid with money from new recruits, often friends and family
of earlier investors.
Although initially aimed at Brazilian immigrants to Massachusetts,
authorities allege almost 1 million people worldwide were swindled out
of nearly $1.8 billion.
TelexFree filed for bankruptcy in 2014, its assets frozen, and its two
principals were indicted on federal charges of wire fraud and
conspiracy.
Bostom Global
