coronavirus

California Men Arrested in Alleged Coronavirus Scam, Peddling Millions of Nonexistent Masks

Donald Allen and Manuel Revolorio face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, authorities said

Surgical face masks discarded in public
Mike Kemp/Getty

Federal authorities announced the arrest Monday of two California businessmen who allegedly sought to earn millions from the coronavirus pandemic by selling masks they didn't have.

The men, Donald Allen, 62, and Manuel Revolorio, 37, of Rancho Cucamonga, face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

In a complaint, an FBI agent said the scam began last month, when Allen allegedly pitched a potential New York investor about an "opportunity" to resell 40 million respirator masks at double or triple their purchase price.

According to the complaint, Allen and Revolorio ran a company, International Commerce and Investment Group Inc., that falsely said on its website that it had worked for five years with global traders, medical institutions and general supply companies, and operated multiple distribution centers with a well-stocked inventory.

Read the full story at NBCNews.com.

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