Framingham Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Unlicensed Money Transmission Business
2023-11-27 · Press release
Summary: BOSTON – A Framingham man pleaded guilty today to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
BOSTON – A Framingham man pleaded guilty today to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Luiz DaSilva, 69, pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2024. DaSilva was arrested and charged in December 2022.
From in or about October 2018 through in or about October 2020, DaSilva failed to comply with federal registration requirements for money transmitting businesses in operating his business, Mix Cell Phones, LLC.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker made announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
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- https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/framingham-man-pleads-guilty-operating-unlicensed-money-transmission-business
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| participant_id | name | role | title | organization | location | age | nationality | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1415 | Luiz DaSilva | defendant | Mix Cell Phones, LLC | Framingham | 69 | pleaded guilty | ||
| 1416 | Nathaniel M. Gorton | judge | U.S. District Court Judge | U.S. District Court | Boston | |||
| 1417 | Joshua S. Levy | prosecutor | Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office | Boston | |||
| 1418 | Brian D. Boyle | Special Agent in Charge | Special Agent in Charge | Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division | New England | |||
| 1419 | Lester Baker | police chief | Chief | Framingham Police Department | Framingham | |||
| 1420 | John T. Mulcahy | prosecutor | Assistant U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office, Criminal Division | Boston |
| agency_id | agency_name | abbreviation | role | office_location | agents_mentioned | contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 891 | United States Attorney's Office | USAO | prosecution | Joshua S. Levy, John T. Mulcahy | Prosecuting the case and announcing the guilty plea | |
| 892 | Drug Enforcement Administration | DEA | investigation | New England Field Division | Brian D. Boyle | Led the investigation through the New England Field Division |
| 893 | Framingham Police Department | arrest | Lester Baker | Assisted in the arrest and participated in the announcement |
| charge_id | charge_description | statute | severity | max_penalty | fine_amount | defendant | status | participant_id | cl_docket_id | count_num | is_1960 | verified_1960 | source | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 713 | operating an unlicensed money transmitting business | five years in prison | $250,000 | Luiz DaSilva | pleaded guilty | 1 | enrichment | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||
| 2648 | operating an unlicensed money transmitting business | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2649 | operating an unlicensed money transmitting business before U | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2650 | operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of sup | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2651 | operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three yea | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2652 | unlicensed money transmitting business | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2653 | unlicensed money transmitting business before U | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 | ||||||||||
| 2654 | unlicensed money transmitting business provides for a sentence of up to five y | 1 | press | 2026-09-16T19:45:55+00:00 |
| fin_id | action_type | amount | currency | description | asset_type | defendant | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 210 | fine | $250,000 | USD | for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business | cash | Luiz DaSilva | pending |
| victim_id | victim_type | description | number_affected | loss_amount | geographic_scope | vulnerability_factors | impact_description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 594 |
| quote_id | quote_text | speaker_name | speaker_title | speaker_organization | quote_type | context | significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 605 | Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. | statement | Explanation of sentencing process | Provides context for the potential sentence DaSilva may face |
| theme_id | theme_name | description | significance | related_statutes | geographic_scope | temporal_aspects | stakeholders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 810 | Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business | Luiz DaSilva operated Mix Cell Phones, LLC without complying with federal registration requirements for money transmitting businesses from October 2018 to October 2020. | Central charge leading to guilty plea and potential sentencing. | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | National | 2018-2020 | Luiz DaSilva, Law enforcement, U.S. Attorney's Office |
| 811 | Federal Registration Requirements | DaSilva failed to meet federal licensing obligations for money transmission services. | Core violation forming the basis of the criminal charge. | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | National | Historical trend (non-compliance over 2-year period) | Financial regulators, Defendant |
| 812 | Sentencing Guidelines | Potential penalties include up to 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and supervised release determined by federal sentencing standards. | Determines legal consequences of the offense. | 18 U.S.C. § 3553, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines | National | Upcoming sentencing (April 2024) | Federal judge, Defendant, Prosecution |
| 813 | Law Enforcement Collaboration | Joint investigation and prosecution by DEA, Framingham Police, and U.S. Attorney's Office. | Demonstrates multi-agency cooperation in financial crime enforcement. | Local/National | Recent development (charges filed December 2022) | DEA, Framingham Police, U.S. Attorney's Office |
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