New Defendants and Victims in the New Faces Modeling Agency Investigation
A Nassau County court unsealed a 54-count grand jury indictment today which identified a new defendant and 50 new victims in the New Faces modeling agency investigation. District Attorney Kathleen Rice says Diedre Aquino, 28, of Freeport, was arrested Thursday and charged with Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree.
Aquino, along with the other defendants in the case, allegedly overcharged for photo shoots, misrepresented the the terms of clients’ contracts, and promised clients high-paying roles and modeling jobs for their children that never panned out.
“I’m pleased that Ms. Aquino has been arrested and will be brought to justice,” said Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “The scam that she and her co-conspirators carried out exploited the love and pride that parents feel for their children. My office will continue to work with our partners to hold fraudsters accountable and recover restitution for victims.”
When the investigation was announced in September more than 100 complaints were filed with DA Rice and Attorney General Schneiderman’s office. Of those 100 complaints, 52 were confirmed as victims.
“It’s clear from today’s indictment that this case is even bigger than we initially thought, with now over a hundred victims identified and dozens more still being reviewed,” DA Rice said. “I’m grateful for the hard work of our prosecutors and investigators in this case. Anyone who thinks they’ve been scammed by this agency should contact us immediately so we can work to help them, too.”
CEO James Muniz was also indicted today. He attempted to flee to Florida in September but was eventually arrested by DA Investigators. He faces up to six additional counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, 22 additional counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Four counts of Petit Larceny, and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree.
Aquino, who is Muniz’s girlfriend, helped manage New Faces. She sold photo shoot packages and online memberships and served as his personal assistant. She and other defendants were discovered with a $2,200 payment from a client. She also fled with Muniz when he attempted his escape to Florida.
Four other defendants face up to seven years in prison. They are also facing additional indictment charges.
[Source: District Attorney Kathleen Rice]