United States Attorney
Northern District of Ohio

Gregory A. White
United States Attorney

Robert E. Bulford
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(330) 761-0517

Gregory A. White, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury returned a 37 count superseding indictment charging Michael D. Miller and Paul Monea with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h), conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(3)(B)(2) and 2, laundering monetary instruments. This indictment supersedes a four count indictment which had been filed in December of 2006 charging Miller and Monea with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and three substantive counts of laundering monetary instruments.

The superseding indictment includes the initial four counts and added 33 additional counts against Michael D. Miller. The additional counts involve a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h), conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and 32 counts of substantive charges of laundering monetary instruments in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(3)(B)(2) and (3).

Miller, age 66, was last known to reside at 6403 Doral, NW, Canton, Ohio. Monea, age 60, was last known to reside at 8696 Allen Drive, NE, Alliance, Ohio.

The original indictment and the first four counts of the superseding indictment allege that from at least as early as March 30, 2006 up to and including December 13, 2006, the defendants, Michael D. Miller and Paul Monea, conspired to launder monetary instruments. Further, it was part of the conspiracy that Monea offered for sale a 40 carat diamond and real estate located at 3737 State Route 534, Southington, Ohio, to an individual believed to be connected to drug trafficking organizations. The diamond is known as the “Golden Eye” and the real estate was once the estate of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. The indictment further alleges that Paul Monea agreed to sell the estate and the diamond to an undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for $19,500,000 and a boat. In November of 2006, over $100,000 was wired to the escrow account of Paul Monea’s attorney. There was a meeting on December 13, 2006 in the conference room of Monea’s attorney in Akron, Ohio. During that meeting, a diamond appraiser inspected the diamond and details of the sale were discussed. At the conclusion of the meeting, Paul Monea and Michael D. Miller were arrested pursuant to complaints and warrants issued by a federal magistrate in Akron, Ohio.

The additional counts added in the superseding indictment allege that from at least as early as January 1999 and continuing up to December 13, 1999, the defendant, Michael D. Miller, and others uncharged conspired to launder monetary instruments. It was part of the conspiracy that Miller would take United States Currency from individuals who illegally distributed controlled substances and use those funds to complete financial transactions, including the sale of automobiles, and investment of the funds for the purchase of automobiles for resale. It was further part of the conspiracy that defendant Miller would utilize his businesses, including Mickey Miller Family Express Car Dealership in Canton, Little Guy Worldwide, and later Mickey Miller Wadsworth Chevrolet as conduits through which the financial transactions would be conducted and the investments could be made. It was also alleged in the superseding indictment that defendant Miller would take cash from individuals which were proceeds of illegal activity and use it to complete financial transactions and then return the funds to the individuals in the form of checks or investments in such a way as to make it appear that the individuals had legitimate sources of income. The superseding indictment alleges that Miller used his various businesses to aid in the scheme.

If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The indictment was preceded by a coordinated investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Stark County Violent Crimes Task Force, which is a multi-agency task force comprised of the Canton Police Department, Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson Township Police Department, Alliance Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the State Department of Parole.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bulford.