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Frederick County resident Joseph Carlini, 43, of Monrovia, pleaded guilty in Circuit Court to theft and violation of a Securities Order in three cases involving his former paramours.
As part of his guilty plea, Carlini is set to be sentenced to 38 years in prison with all but 10 years suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Carlini was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $191,300.
In November 2018, prosecutors said that Carlini - who is the subject of an order of the Securities Commissioner and is barred from, among other things, offering or issuing securities including promissory notes - under the guise of the alias “Joe Cantone” convinced a new partner’s parents to invest $150,000 in a purported legal marijuana growing business.
Attorney General Brian Frosh said that Carlini used the faux name to “prevent them from learning of negative publicly available information about him,” as part of the ruse.
Carlini admitted to issuing the parents a promissory note in violation of the Securities order in exchange for their investment of $150,000, officials noted. An analysis of Carlini’s bank records revealed no investment from the $150,000 in any identifiable medical marijuana-related business.
Instead, Carlini used the money for other purposes to live a luxurious life, with expenses including restaurant meals, payments to various creditors and associates, the purchase of home furnishings, an automobile, and window tinting.
Carlini also persuaded the parents to pay $12,000 to his company to construct a driveway for them, prosecutors noted. Carlini was not licensed to do such work, he did not seek any permits, and no work was ever done.
In a second instance in late 2019, Carlini again provided a fictitious name, Hevi W., with another romantic partner and presented her with falsified documents bearing that name.
He admitted to persuading her to invest $25,000 in cash toward an alleged solar energy business, offering his partner a promissory note in exchange for the investment. There was o indication of any actual investment by Carlini and none of the money was returned.
A third romantic partner was also duped when asked to lease an apartment and purchase three vehicles in her name with the understanding he would make the payments, also in late 2019.
Carlini did not make the payments as promised, Frosh said, and in fact persuaded her to transfer $4,300 to him to make the payments, claiming that the money he had intended to use to make the payments was stolen and that he would pay her back shortly.
Officials said that a review of his bank records indicated that Carlini used the $4,300 for other purposes and did not make any payments as promised or repay any money.
“Joseph Carlini is a serial swindler who preyed upon romantic partners and lured them into investing in nonexistent enterprises,” Frosh stated. “I’m pleased my office was able to halt his illegal activity and keep him from duping additional victims.”
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