Coconut Creek Man Arrested for Alleged Investment Fraud

Michael Kenneth Campbell was arrested on charges of three counts of selling unregistered securities and one count of organized scheme to defraud. The arrest follows the related arrest of Felipe Anderson Souza, who was also charged with selling unregistered securities and organized scheme to defraud.

Souza, through FAS Creative Concepts, LLC., allegedly solicited investors to provide collateral for substantial loans that would be used to purchase and sell real estate. The investments were purportedly short-term and promised a 100 percent money-back guarantee with high-yield returns and little to no risk. However, Souza and FAS allegedly failed to pay investors back and provided numerous conflicting explanations as to how the funds were used.

Souza purportedly claimed to investors that he was being mentored by Campbell, who allegedly posed as a wealthy entrepreneur with esteemed connections. A financial analysis revealed that instead of using investor funds for investment purposes, Souza allegedly transferred approximately half of the funds to Campbell who purportedly used them for various personal expenses. Neither Souza nor Campbell were licensed to sell securities or real estate in the state of Florida.

The OFR was the lead investigative agency, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest with assistance from the Boca Raton Police Department and Broward County’s Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting the case.