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DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — The FBI Detroit Field Office has announced the addition of a man previously charged with wire fraud and money laundering to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List.
Federal authorities say the man, Darren Anthony Robinson, is connected to a federal fraud investigation in which investors lost a total estimated at about $100 million. The tip that led to the investigation came into the FBI Detroit office, and dozens of the victims of the scheme were from Michigan, Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said during a press conference on Thursday morning.
Robert Kuszynski, IRS Criminal Investigation Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge, also spoke at the press conference to discuss allegations, a federal indictment and efforts to locate the fugitive.
The Most Wanted Fraudsters List is separate from the FBI’s long-promoted Most Wanted List. The fraudster list launched in June and has resulted in four arrests so far, Runyan said.
Runyan and Kuszynski said a $150,000 reward has been posted for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Robinson.
According to details provided at the press conference, hundreds of people fell victim to what Runyan called a Ponzi scheme. Earlier investors were paid by later investors, while funds were diverted to other purposes, including “Robinson’s personal lifestyle,” the FBI said. QYU Holdings purported to be a professional investment company trading in the foreign currency exchange market, the FBI said. Federal authorities accuse Robinson of raising about $100 million from investors in the United States, Canada, Panama and other countries.
The victims included retirees, families saving up for college expenses and business owners, Runyan said.
The impact, she added, was “significant financial harm.”
The IRS got involved, Kuszynski said, because “money laundering is essentially tax fraud in progress.”
Robinson, age 56, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and has traveled extensively both within the U.S. and internationally, the FBI said. He is known to have connections to Panama, the United Arab Emirates and Colombia.
The FBI said in 2023 that Robinson was a principal and operator of QYU Holdings, and that the investment activities under investigation started around 2010 and continued through 2023.
The circumstances that led to his escape from authorities, Runyan said, are that Robinson was released on bond and on approved travel when he was able to get the GPS tether removed. A federal arrest warrant was issued for him in January 2024 from the U.S. District court for the Eastern District of Michigan after Robinson was charged with 11 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
“Someone knows where he is,” Runyan said.
“Darren Robinson – if you are watching this press conference, turn yourself in,” she urged.
Those with tips to submit are asked to contact the FBI tipline at 800-CALL-FBI or their local FBI office.
Those who believe they may be victims in the case may contact the FBI at a special page for the QYU Holdings investigation.
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