Bem Brasil Given 'Cease and Desist' Order After Failing to Send Money Transfers for Customers

DANBURY, CT —the Danbury Police Department announced that the Connecticut Department of Banking (DOB) Commissioner Jorge L. Pérez is asking for any residents who may have used the money transmitter Century Union Services, LLC, and did not receive the services they paid for, to come forward, according to a release. The Department said in a statement that they have reason to believe that many more people may have been affected since DOB issued a Cease and Desist Order to the company in October 2016.

“These actions will not be tolerated here in Connecticut. I encourage anyone who may have had dealings with Century Union to come forward by contacting the insurance company which holds Century Union’s surety bond directly or the Department of Banking. We at the Department are here to serve all Connecticut residents,” said Banking Commissioner Perez.

“I sympathize with the families who have been impacted by Century Union’s failure to provide the services they were paid to perform, particularly this time of year.”

In 2008, five were indicted on money laundering charges for transmitting $22 million between 2005 and 2008 out of the same location to Brazil for local immigrants and failed to properly register with and report the transfers to state and federal governments, according to The Courant. The former owner of Bem Brasil, Nilander DeOliviera, was one of the five people indicted land was deported to Brasil in 2008.

Century Union is a Massachusetts limited liability company headquartered at 493 Broadway, Everett, Massachusetts and maintains a license to engage in the business of money transmission in Connecticut from three locations including Bull Boi Meat Supermarket, located at 827 North Avenue, Bridgeport, Bem Brasil Market located at 213 White Street #1, Danbury and Link Travel & Services located at 1839 Park Street, Hartford.

Prior to the suspension of their license, Century Union maintained offices in Newark, New Jersey, and Pompano Beach, Florida. Robes Barboza is the sole member of the LLC.

If you think you have been affected by this scam, you're asked to contact bondclaims@capspecialty.com to notify the insurance company, Capitol Indemnity Corporation, of the claim. Consumers should include their complete mailing address and will receive a claim form from Capitol Indemnity Corporation.

A hearing on the matter was held for Thursday, December 15, 2016, at the Connecticut Department of Banking, 260 Constitution Plaza, Hartford, CT Room 50 at 10:00 a.m.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons