PHILADELPHIA—Carlo Daniel Castro and William Wong were charged today in a superseding indictment1 with additional offenses related to an extortion scheme carried out by the defendants, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Defendant Castro was previously charged, in an earlier indictment, with carrying out an extortion scheme, whereby Castro hired a “collector” to use violence, and threats of violence, to collect a $150,000 debt supposedly owed to him by a former business partner. The collector was actually an undercover agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The superseding indictment charges Castro and Wong with one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by extortion, and one count of attempted extortionate collection of credit.
According to the superseding indictment, Castro referred the collection services of the collector to defendant Wong and co-conspirator Alan Kats, who is charged separately. Kats was supposedly owed a $36,000 debt by a former business associate, and Wong and Kats hired the collector to use violence, and threats of violence, to collect the debt. In addition, Castro and Wong attempted to refer the collector to a second debt collection job in Florida
INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFENDANTS
NAME ADDRESS AGE OR YEAR OF BIRTH
Carlo Daniel Castro Philadelphia
William Wong Philadelphia
If convicted of all charges, defendant Castro faces a maximum possible sentence of 120 years’ imprisonment, a $2.5 million fine, three years of supervised release, and a $1,000 special assessment.
Defendant Wong faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leo R. Tsao.
An Indictment or Information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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