NJ YouTuber Faces Life In Prison, Indicted In $30M Fraud Scheme

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — A YouTube sensation from South Jersey paid for his jewelry and luxury cars using money he obtained as part of a copyright infringement scheme, federal authorities said this week.

Bill Omar Carrasquillo, 35 of Swedesboro, was one of three people who were charged by indictment for their role in the wide-ranging and lucrative scheme that net them in excess of $30 million, according to authorities.

He now faces up to 514 years in prison, according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr.

The others charged in the indictment include Jesse Gonzales, 42, of Pico Rivera, CA; and Michael Barone, 36, of Richmond Hill, NY, according to authorities.

But it’s Carrasquillo, who goes by the name Omni in a Hellcat on YouTube, that authorities focus on in the indictment. They say he used the ill-gotten money to buy homes and dozens of vehicles, including high-end sports cars.

When agents attempted to seize those vehicles during a warrant search, he lied about and attempted to hide some of those vehicles, including a Freightliner recreational vehicle and a McLaren sports vehicle, according to authorities.

In June, he posted a video in which he told his subscribers that the FBI had seized more than 30 of his cars and millions of dollars from his bank account. His YouTube channel had nearly 1 million followers as of Friday morning.

All three men are accused of obtaining cable television accounts and reselling copyrighted content to thousands of their own subscribers, who could then stream or playback content, according to authorities.

They also lied to banks and merchant processors in order to obtain merchant processing accounts, authorities said.

Carrasquillo is charged with one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; one count of reproduction of a protected work; 19 counts of public performance of a protected work; four counts of access device fraud; six counts of wire fraud; three counts of making false statements to a bank; nineteen counts of money laundering; two counts of making false statements to law enforcement officers; two counts of removal of property to prevent seizure; and four counts of tax evasion.

In addition to facing life in prison, he would be subject to supervised release, fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture if convicted, authorities said.

“These defendants are charged with engaging in a massive, years-long scheme to steal copyrighted content, which is a very serious federal crime,” Williams said. “As this prosecution shows, protecting intellectual property rights is an important priority of our Office and the entire Department of Justice.”

“We will investigate and take seriously schemes for profit that infringe upon copyrights,” said Polite, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges announced today should leave no doubt about the department’s continuing commitment to protect copyright holders from theft.”

Carrasquillo dropped out of school when he was in 11th grade after he was arrested for selling drugs, the New York Times reports. As an adult, he made a million dollars buying and reselling gear on Amazon. In 2019, he described it as a legitimate business.

“You can’t just go and monetize someone else’s copyrighted content with impunity,” said Bradley S. Benavides, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “That’s the whole point of securing a copyright. Theft is theft, and if you’re going to willfully steal another party’s intellectual property, the FBI stands ready to step in and shut you down.”

“All income is taxable, including income derived from illegal means,” said Yury Kruty, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Philadelphia Field Office for IRS-Criminal Investigation. “In addition, it is a crime to knowingly engage in monetary transactions involving criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000 that is derived from a specified unlawful activity, such as wire fraud. IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring charges against individuals who choose to participate in illegal schemes such as this.”

Gonzales is charged with: one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; one count of reproduction of a protected work; 19 counts of public performance of a protected work; four counts of access device fraud; five counts of wire fraud; two counts of making false statements to a bank; and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 244 years in prison, as well as supervised release, fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture.

Barone is charged with: one count of conspiracy; one count of violating the Digital Millenium Copyright Act; two counts of access device fraud; and five counts of wire fraud. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 130 years in prison, as well as supervised release, fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture.