Miami Man Pleads Guilty To Impersonating Saudi 'Sultan'

MIAMI, FL — A 47-year-old Miami man pleaded guilty to passing himself off as a member of the Saudi royal family for years as part of an over-the-top scheme that included driving around in a Ferrari with fake diplomatic license plates and claiming ownership of an exclusive Fisher Island home that bore a "Sultan" nameplate. Federal prosecutors said that Anthony Gignac went by the names of Khaled Al-Saud, Khalid Al-Saud, Khalid Bin Al-Saud, Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Saud and Sultan Bin Khalid Al Saud. He now faces more than 30 years in a less than regal federal prison cell.

"Beginning in March of 2017, Gignac presented himself as a member of the Saudi Royal family in an attempt to purchase a multi-million dollar hotel in Miami," federal prosecutors in Miami said Tuesday in announcing the guilty plea.

"Gignac stayed at the hotel using a credit card in the name of a member of the Saudi Royal family without that individual’s authorization," according to prosecutors. "When visiting the hotel, Gignac drove a Ferrari with diplomatic license plates."

Gignac even flew from London last year to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on a passport in the name of another person.

"He falsely told others that he had diplomatic immunity and was required to check in with the U.S. Department of State every few hours," prosecutors explained. "Gignac was given gifts, including expensive paintings and jewelry, based on his false representations."

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg and Special Agent in Charge Fred Stolper of the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service.

Prosecutors said that Gignac set up a phony investment company in 2015 called Marden Williams International LLC, which went by MWI to process the financial investments he bilked out of individuals and businesses around the world.

"Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Gignac’s residence in Miami and discovered two fraudulent diplomatic license plates, a fraudulent DSS Special Agent badge, unauthorized credit cards and financial documents in the name of a member of the Saudi royal family, ammunition, thousands of dollars in U.S. currency, jewelry and artwork," federal prosecutors said.

One person invested some $5 million with Gignac, who allegedly had help from others.

"Gignac and his co-conspirators falsely represented to potential financial investors that the defendant was a member of the Saudi royal family and had exclusive business opportunities for them to invest in, because of the defendant’s royal status," prosecutors explained. "One of the fraudulent investment schemes was purported to be a pre-initial private offering of a legitimate private Saudi Arabian business."

Gignac pleaded guilty to impersonating a foreign diplomat or foreign government official, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

"Defendant Gignac fraudulently assumed the identity of a member of the Saudi royal family in order to build relationships worldwide, including in South Florida, receive gifts and conduct a large-scale scheme to defraud would-be investors," prosecutors added.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Trinity Jordan.

Photo courtesy Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami