Three Individuals and One Business Indicted on Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity Among Other Charges for Operating Cryptocurrency Kiosks in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND - Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a Cuyahoga County grand jury has returned an indictment charging S and P Solutions, Sonny Meraban, 45, Reza Mehraban, 75, and William Suriano, 69, on several charges including Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, Conspiracy, and License Requirement Violation for owning and operating cryptocurrency kiosks in Northeast Ohio from August 2002 to February 2023.

“I would like to personally thank the United States Secret Service for their incredible hard work throughout the investigation of this case,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “I would also like to thank the additional 28 agencies that worked alongside our office and the Secret Service. Without the assistance from each and every one of these law enforcement agencies, these individuals would be continuing to profit off of their illegal activities.”

“The United States Secret Service has an integrated mission of protection and investigations that safeguard our nation’s financial infrastructure,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Field Office Blaine Forschen. “This effort is another example of how we achieve our mission through partnerships with local, state and regional allies such as the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.” 

The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service (USSS) Cyber Fraud and Money Laundering Task Force with assistance from:

• Ohio Investigative Unit
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
• Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Administration
• Federal Bureau of Investigations
• U.S. Treasury – Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
• Ohio Department of Taxation – Criminal Investigations Division
• Cleveland Division of Police
• Naperville Police Department (IL)
• Riverside Police Department (IL)
• Lisle Police Department (IL)
• DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office (IL)
• Federal Trade Commission
• Miami-Dade Police Department (FL)
• Miami-Dade State’s Attorney’s Office
• South Florida CyberCrimes Task Force (FL)
• >Ohio Department of Commerce – Division of Financial Institutions
• Nevada Financial Institutions Division (NV)
• South Euclid Police Department
• Kirtland Police Department
• Rocky River Police Department
• Brooklyn Police Department
• Bay Village Police Department
• Lorain County Sheriff’s Department
• North Ridgeville Police Department
• Shaker Heights Police Department
• Cleveland Heights Police Department
• Broadview Heights Police Department
• Willoughby Police Department

The investigation revealed that Sonny Meraban (the owner and founder of S and P Solutions), Reza Mehraban (Sonny Meraban’s father and manager of S and P Solutions), William Suriano (attorney and manager of S and P Solutions), and S and P Solutions (doing business as Bitcoin of America (BOA)) were involved in owning and operating cryptocurrency kiosks illegally across Northeast Ohio. Further investigation revealed that they were operating the cryptocurrency kiosks without a money transmission license and that they falsely represented their money transferring capabilities to Ohio regulators in order to avoid detection.

In addition, scammers and robocallers utilized BOA’s lack of consumer protections and anti-money laundering measures to facilitate transfers from victims in Ohio and across the U.S. BOA retained victim fee money even after being notified that the fee came from fraud victims’ transfers. The fee would average around 20% of the total amount transferred.

On March 1, 2023, USSS’s Cyber Fraud and Money Laundering Task Force along with the Ohio Investigative Unit seized 52 BOA ATMs in the Northeast Ohio area. 41 ATMs were seized in Cuyahoga County and 11 ATMs were seized in Lorain County.

A search warrant was executed on Sonny Meraban’s residence in Miami-Beach, FL. During the search, Meraban was arrested by the USSS and Miami-Dade Police Department.

A search warrant was executed on Reza Mehraban’s residence in Naperville, IL. He was arrested during the search by the USSS and Naperville Police Department.

William Suriano was arrested in Riverside, IL by the Riverside Police Department.

A search warrant was executed on the company’s office in Lisle, IL by the USSS and Lisle Police Department with assistance from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The investigation remains ongoing.

On March 1, 2023, Sonny Meraban was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Money Laundering
• Eight counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• 33 counts of License Requirement Violation
• Five counts of Tampering with Records
• One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
• One count of Taxation

On March 1, 2023, Reza Mehraban was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Money Laundering
• Eight counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• 33 counts of License Requirement Violation
• Five counts of Tampering with Records
• One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
• One count of Taxation

On March 1, 2023, William Suriano was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Money Laundering
• Eight counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• 33 counts of License Requirement Violation
• Five counts of Tampering with Records
• One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
• One count of Taxation

On March 1, 2023, S and P Solutions was indicted on the following charges:

• One count of Engaging In A Pattern Of Corrupt Activity
• One count of Conspiracy
• Eight counts of Money Laundering
• Eight counts of Receiving Stolen Property
• 33 counts of License Requirement Violation
• Five counts of Tampering with Records
• One count of Possessing Criminal Tools
• One count of Taxation

You can view the indictment here.