United States of America v. Michel Poirier

Madison, Wisconsin, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with mail fraud.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Michel Poirier, 60, Montreal, Canada, orchestrated a mass marketing fraud scheme that targeted printing companies and consumers in the United States, including the Western District of Wisconsin, resulting in a loss to victims of more than $1.2 million.

Using aliases, Poirier contacted printing companies in the U.S., representing that he was working for direct mail companies looking for United States suppliers to handle mass mailings of brochures. After the victim printing companies incurred costs for printing and mailing the brochures, the companies received business checks from Poirier that drew on either closed accounts or accounts with insufficient funds. When the victim printing companies sought alternative forms of payment, Poirier stopped answering emails and telephone calls.

The brochures printed and mailed by the victim printing companies promoted weight loss products sold by Poirier. These marketing materials contained numerous false statements and material omissions, including: (1) testimonials from fictitious clients; (2) statements of product authenticity from fictitious doctors; and (3) a fictitious money back guarantee. Consumers who received the brochures and purchased weight loss products were defrauded out of their money.

At sentencing, Judge Conley called the crime callous stating that Poirier failed to appreciate the financial and emotional harm to the victims. Further, Judge Conley found that Poirier perpetuated this elaborate scheme, which involved layers of misrepresentations, for over seven years and that this was a significant factor in imposing the three-year prison term.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 3 years in prison.