Demise of another south Florida Stock Fraud Empire
Jail may await a pair of south Florida convicted-felon stock promoters. Stock promoters Scott H. Wilding of Pembroke Pines, Florida and his associate Frank J. Merhib of Miami, Florida have struck a reef with bulletin-board issuer MODG. Sources close to Immediatek confirm that the pair attempted a two pronged stock scam on MODG that is resulting in criminal complaints against the pair.
Operating under the aegis of "Research Consulting Group," a corporation registered in Florida, Wilding and Merhib reportedly obtained about 20-million shares of S-8 stock from the prior management team of MODG as part of a reverse merger with Immediatek. Six days later, the pair then allegedly tried to palm off a bogus opinion letter from a Colorado based lawyer lifting restrictions to another 20-million shares of MODG stock.
The company alerted its transfer agent of the scam-in-progress, and managed to block the transfer according to a source close to the event.
The particular problem with the business arrangement of Merhib and Wilding is that they are both convicted felons currently under supervision by state and federal authorities. Each has a provision in their probation terms strictly prohibiting association with other criminals. Violation of those provisions subjects the pair to immediate arrest and imprisonment, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement source.
Wilding is presently serving a 14-month Florida probation for drug possession. Merhib is only about one year into a 7-year period of federal supervised release for corrupting a public official.
According to records at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Merhib, 37, was released from federal prison on June 7, 2001. He is currently being supervised by the federal probation office in Miami, Florida.
Wilding served no jail time following his two-count Broward County felony drug convictions last February. Merhib reportedly served 40-months in federal custody before being released to the Miami area. Prior to living in Miami, Merhib lived in Pembroke Pines, Florida, according to city utility records.
Immediatek offered no public comment on the events but did confirm it has retained specialty legal counsel "to deal with the civil side of the issues."
Neither Merhib nor Wilding responded to requests for interviews. Law enforcement sources in Miami say that state and federal action against the pair could occur as early as next Monday for possible parole or probation violations.
