United States Attorney Karin Hoppmann announced the unsealing of two indictments in connection with an international enterprise based in Florida that operated subscription-based sexually exploitative “child modeling” websites.
Plamen Georgiev Velinov, 48, Sofia, Bulgaria, is charged with conspiring to advertise and distribute child pornography in connection with the Florida-based enterprise.
Anthony Lee Kendall, 55, Mossyrock, WA, is charged with money laundering and money laundering conspiracy in connection with his laundering of approximately $1 million for the enterprise.
Velinov was arrested on Monday in Sofia, Bulgaria by officers from Bulgarian National Investigative Service and the Sofia Metropolitan Police at the request of the United States.
Kendall was also arrested on Monday, in Washington.
If convicted, Velinov faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years imprisonment for conspiring to advertise child pornography, a minimum of 5 years imprisonment for conspiring to distribute child pornography, and a total maximum penalty of 50 years imprisonment for both offenses.
The indictment also notifies Velinov that the United States intends to forfeit more than $434,000 in assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
If convicted, Kendall faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of the five-count money laundering charges in the indictment. The indictment also notifies Kendall that the United States intends to forfeit $944,678 in assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offenses.
According to court documents, Velinov assisted with directing and controlling the foreign functions of the Newstar Enterprise—an internet-based business aimed at for-profit sexual exploitation of vulnerable children under the guise of “child modeling” through a collection of websites called the Newstar Websites.
Velinov helped maintain and update the Newstar Websites.
Kendall performed financial functions essential to the Newstar Enterprise. Kendall fraudulently opened payment processing, merchant, and bank accounts for the Newstar Enterprise and facilitated, conducted, and concealed monetary transactions involving approximately $1 million in revenue from the Newstar Websites.
Kenneth Power (deceased at 58, of Weston), was a principal member of the Newstar Enterprise who directed and controlled its operations.
Patrice Eileen Wilowski-Mevorah, 53, of Tampa, and Mary Lou Bjorkman, 58, of Lutz, recently pleaded guilty to laundering money for the Newstar Enterprise.
Kenneth Power’s wife, Tatiana “Tanya” Power (41, of Weston), is currently pending trial on money laundering charges in connection with the Newstar Enterprise. Other members of the Newstar Enterprise resided in Europe.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), with substantial assistance provided by Homeland Security Investigations offices in Fort Lauderdale, Athens, and the Hague, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Sofia, Bulgaria, as well as the IRS Criminal Investigation in Tampa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Murray of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Kyle Reynolds of the CEOS are prosecuting these cases.
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