Jasiel Correia II's SnoOwl app led to him going to prison. Now his wife has started one.
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FALL RIVER — Eleven days before Jasiel Correia II reported to federal prison to start serving a six-year sentence for political corruption and fraud, the former mayor’s wife and a business partner set up a corporation to develop a mobile app company.
According to the Secretary of State’s corporation database, Jenny Simone Correia and David Riccio Jr. of Revere registered the app company itsaVibe on April 11.
The two-term Fall River mayor reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Berlin, New Hampshire, on April 22.
Correia was the founder of the app company SnoOwl. In 2012, fraud allegations related to the app were the genesis of an intensive and nearly two-year investigation by the FBI and the IRS.
Falsely selling himself as a successful tech entrepreneur while he was in college, Correia managed to raise almost $364,000 from SnoOwl investors.
But in October 2018 while in his second term in office, he was indicted on nine counts of wire fraud and four counts of filing false tax returns for bilking investors out of at least $231,447 of their investments, to maintain, as federal prosecutors characterized, a “lavish lifestyle.” Instead of using their investments to develop the app, he spent their money on personal travel, restaurants, jewelry, designer clothes and accessories, sex toys, paying off debt and more.
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In May 2021, a federal jury convicted Correia of defrauding SnoOwl investors and additional charges of extorting money from marijuana companies seeking to do business in the city while mayor.
Federal Judge Douglas Woodlock later dismissed 10 counts of fraud before he sentenced Correia to six years in federal prison.
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Familiar app concept
The corporation filing for itsaVibe identifies Riccio as the company’s resident agent and manager.
A LinkedIn profile indicates that Riccio is also a tech entrepreneur and the co-founder and director of business development for itsaVibe, which he claims is the “first and only iOS app that connects local influencers with businesses." According to the profile, the app is launching on the iOS App Store this fall.
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Riccio and Jenny Correia are currently working with an app developer to produce the itsaVibe product, according to the corporation form.
Similarly, the SnoOwl app, which was available on the Apple App Store for a brief period, was designed to connect local businesses with consumers. SnoOwl is no longer functional or available in the App Store.
Riccio’s profile also indicates that he is the former manager of the cigar bar and lounge Stanza dei Sigari on Hanover Street in the North End of Boston.
Jenny Correia's mother and stepfather are part owners of Towne House & Douro Steakhouse on Purchase Street. She owns a jewelry store located in the multiplex restaurant and facility.
Jenny Correia is listed on the corporation database as itsaVibe co-manager.
Correia and partners created app corporation recently
Jasiel Correia and Riccio were involved with another app, Speakeasy LLC, with Nicole Brum and Dominique F. Jouki.
Speakeasy LLC was incorporated earlier this year on Feb. 10 with the certificate of organization showing the purpose of the company was to create a software platform and mobile app for “micro-transactions,” defined as very small financial transfers online, often used in gaming.
A little over a month later, Jouki dissolved the corporation on March 15, with the written reason that the corporation “is not going to materialize and dissolution is the only solution.”
Jo C. Goode may be reached at jgoode@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism and subscribe to The Herald News today!
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Jasiel Correia's wife Jenny creating smartphone app 'itsaVibe'
