Man pleads guilty to defrauding romantic partners and their parents

Clara Niel, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read
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Jul. 12—A Frederick County man pleaded guilty Friday to theft and violating a securities order, defrauding romantic partners, the Maryland Attorney General's Office said.

Joseph Carlini, 43, of Monrovia, was ordered to serve 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $191,300.

"Joseph Carlini is a serial swindler who preyed upon romantic partners and lured them into investing in nonexistent enterprises," Attorney General Brian Frosh said in a news release.

The release said in November 2018, Carlini persuaded the parents of his then-partner to invest $150,000 in what he claimed was a legal medical marijuana business. He also presented himself as Joe Cantone to avoid the parents finding any negative information on him.

Carlini was permanently barred in 2007 from offering or issuing securities including promissory notes, or written promises from one party to pay another party a definite sum of money.

Carlini issued the parents a promissory note for $150,000, which violated the securities order, the release said.

The money never went to the investment of a marijuana business, an analysis of Carlini's bank records showed, but was used to pay for restaurant meals, home furnishing, a car, window tinting and payments to various creditors and associates.

Carlini also convinced the parents to pay his company — Cantone Group Ltd., a company that purchased "property and or active businesses," according to the company's Articles of Incorporation — $12,000 to build a driveway for them, which he never did, was not licensed to do so and never sought permits to complete, the release said.

In late 2019, the release said, Carlini swindled two more romantic partners.

Using another fake name, he convinced one partner to invest $25,000 in cash for a claimed solar energy business.

Carlini again offered her a promissory note, as well as an unexecuted — or unsigned — note that violated the securities order. There was no indication the money went toward the investments, and funds have not been returned.

Carlini convinced the other partner to lease an apartment and buy three vehicles under her name, saying he would make the payments, the release said.

Carlini did not make the payments, telling his partner the money he was going to use had been stolen. The release said he persuaded her to give him $4,300 to help him make the payments.

He used the money for other purposes, the release said.

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