Two Houston men have been charged with trying to sell millions of non-existent N95 masks to a state in Australia at an inflated price.
In a three-count indictment released on Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that Paschal Eleanya, 46, and Arael Doolittle, 55, are accused of attempting to sell 50 million of the fake masks for $317 million to New South Wales. Prosecutors allege the pair expected to receive $275 million from the transaction for personal use.
“Based on their representations, the foreign government allegedly wired the funds to complete the purchase,” the office’s statement read. However, Reuters reported that the Secret Service disrupted the transaction before it could be completed.
Should the men be convicted, they face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and up to 20 years for each of the two counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors say the Secret Service was responsible for investigating the case.
Doolittle faces a separate charge for allegedly attempting to defraud 21 investors out of $1.2 million in oil and gas transactions. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.
Eleanya turned himself in on Tuesday, and Doolittle was taken into custody on Friday. It is unclear how soon their trials will begin.
