Prosecutors seek help building case against ConsoliDebt Solutions.
Owners of a debt consolidation service active in the Pacific Northwest were indicted last week on federal fraud charges.
Javier Antonio Banuelas Urueta, 54, is in custody having been arrested Tuesday and appearing in court on arraignment later that day. His co-defendant and business partner, Dalia Castilleja Saucedo, 38, remains at large, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s office Friday.
Kevin Sonoff, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wright, confirmed an arrest warrant for Castilleja is active and declined to say how many people may have been defrauded.
Banuelas Urueta and Castilleja Saucedo are alleged to have run ConsoliDebt Solutions in Oregon and Washington from April 2019 until this month.
In that time, police say the pair siphoned client funds meant for debt reduction services and used them on personal expenses like car leases, loan repayments, residential rent and wire transfers.
They’ve been charged with seven counts each including mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Each fraud count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
At his hearing Tuesday, Banuelas Urueta pleaded not guilty and was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Prosecutors ask anyone with information about Banuelas Urueta, Castillejas Saucedo or ConsoliDebt Solutions to submit an online tip at ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form or call 866-347-2423.
Sonoff told Oregon Business via email it’s not known if victims may recover their money.
“This is always our hope and what we work toward in fraud cases, but unfortunately, it’s never a certainty,” Sonoff wrote. “We will know more as our investigation continues and our case unfolds.”
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