DENVER – Steven Dykes, age 61, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Pasquale Rubbo, age 51, of Coral Springs, Florida, and Angela Monaco, age 45, of Coconut Creek, Florida, were sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson for their role in a six-million-dollar investment fraud. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer, Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne. U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson sentenced Steven Dykes to 108 months imprisonment, Pasquale Rubbo to 106 months imprisonment, and Angela Monaco to 74 months imprisonment. Each of the defendants previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents, including the stipulated facts contained in the defendants’ plea agreements, from December 2012 to November 2017, along with two other, engaged in a conspiracy to defraud more than thirty mostly elderly investors, including two investors in Colorado, of more than $6,000,000 in an investment fraud scheme. The investment fraud scheme focused on a television production company based in South Florida, VIP Television, LLC, as well as a cleaning product, the “Scrubbieglove,” which was also patented in Florida. Investors sent money to both of these companies as a result of false statements about VIP Television’s merger opportunities and interest in the Scrubbieglove by entities such as QVC, Walgreens, and Bed, Bath & Beyond. All of the defendants except Monaco had previous convictions for similar criminal activity.
Two other members of the conspiracy, Joseph Rubbo and Nicolas Rubbo were previously sentenced in a related case in United States District Court for the District of Colorado to 60 months and 48 months of imprisonment, respectively.
“These defendants cheated vulnerable, elderly Coloradans and others out of their hard-earned money. Now they get what they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer.
“The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to protect our citizens from those who engage in complex white-collar fraud schemes,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers. “Today’s sentencing of Steven Dykes, Pasquale Rubbo, and Angela Monaco should send a strong message the FBI will hold those who exploit innocent investors for personal gain accountable for their actions.”
“Investment fraud has brought ruin to many Americans” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to partnering with other law enforcement agencies to stop financial crimes being committed by people such as Monaco and the Rubbos, and today’s sentence is a reflection of that commitment.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI. The defendants are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Hetal J. Doshi and Matthew T. Kirsch.
