A scam artist who posed as a millionaire to appear on the Bravo reality TV series ‘ The Millionaire Matchmaker ‘ has pleaded guilty in court to conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud, and to making a false statement to a financial institution.
It was revealed that Michael Anthony Prozer III is not only not a millionaire – he’s also a con man. By his side in court was Fedor Stanley Salinas, a Maryland banker who helped Prozer by producing fraudulent bank statements to make him appear wealthy. Like Prozer, he pleaded guilty.
Prozer appeared on ‘ The Millionaire Matchmaker ‘ in 2009, where he posed as the CEO of Xchangeagent Inc., a supposed PayPal system for South America and Europe. According to the LA Times’ Show Tracker blog , he “definitely failed to impress his date with his jet ski skills.”
Prozer’s scams finally backfired when he was arrested after attempting to defraud a Georgia bank. He tried to take out a short-term business loan backed up with $21 million in collateral that didn’t really exist, and the bank lost $3 million in the con.
Prozer’s open plea means he has no agreement with prosecutors on a sentence. A judge scheduled his sentencing for August 9.
ABC News reports Prozer’s guilty plea was a surprise to those observing the trial – a jury had reportedly already been selected for the upcoming trial. Prozer could be looking at a “multiyear” sentence in federal prison for his deeds. And I believe jet skis may be in short supply in such places.
[Via Tampa Bay Times ]
