The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of an arrest made in a fraud investigation.
On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, police were made aware of a fraud occurring in the Kipling Avenue and The Queensway area.
The Unveiling of Michael Guerriero’s Alleged Counterfeit Operation
An alleged counterfeit apparel organization has been discovered, causing shockwaves across Toronto’s retail community. According to reports, the organization, which was housed at well-known discount retailer Brands Gone Wild, was engaged in the sale of counterfeit luxury clothing brands for close to $2 million. Michael Guerriero and Frank Monte, the scheme’s organizers, were later detained and charged.
According to the police, on February 1, the alleged fraud at the clothes store on Kipling Avenue and The Queensway was initially brought to their attention. On March 17, a search warrant in connection with the investigation was carried out.
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The Seized Counterfeit Clothing
According to a news release from the police, counterfeit clothing totaling $1,885,150 worth was taken from names Gone Wild. This counterfeit clothing includes knockoffs of popular names including Nike, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger, and Calvin Klein.
Since then, TPS has detained and charged two men in connection with their inquiry.
What are the Charges Against Michael Guerriero and Frank Monte
On Friday, March 17, 2023, Frank Monte, 64, of Toronto was charged with:
- Fraud Over $5000
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
- Pass off Description of Wares
He is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on Monday, May 15, 2023, at 2 p.m., in room 201.
Michael Guerriero, 45, of Toronto, was charged on Friday, March 17, 2023.
- Possession of property obtained by crime; Fraud Over $5,000
- Pass off the products’ description
He is expected to show up in court on Monday, May 15, 2023, at 2 p.m. in room 201 of the Ontario Court of Justice.
What is the current state of Brands Gone Wild?
Regarding Brands Gone Wild, it appears that the location in Etobicoke is still operational. Brands Gone Wild appears to be still in existence despite its damaged reputation. The company has a reputation for offering name-brand clothing at substantially lower prices, drawing a sizable number of customers. Their website boasts of a “large network of Toronto-based wholesale buyers and sellers,” discounting luxury brands to “ridiculously low” costs. It’s important to note that Brands Gone Wild’s Instagram account has been shut down following the inquiry.
The Public Assistance Request
Anyone with information about this event is being urged to contact Toronto police. They may be reached at 416-808-2200, or you can submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at 222tips.com.
Now Michael Guerriero is attempting to practice Fake PR
Michael Guerriero promotes himself using deceptive PR and fraudulent advertising. He uses deception and lies to establish credibility. Michael Guerriero has been involved in “Fake PR” in what appears to be an effort to restore his reputation.
To hide his tarnished image of being a fraudster Michael Guerriero is trying to protect his career by using phony press releases and unethical marketing methods. This method is widely used by scammers since it allows them to conceal their criminal record while presenting themselves as a trustworthy organization.
Fake PR is extremely dishonest because it involves the dissemination of misleading information and lies. Michael Guerriero has also done this.
Evidence suggests that he is using platforms like Crunchbase, AccessWire, and About. Me, Weebly, and F6S to manipulate public perception about him. The majority of Paid articles have the same substance, but the language is different. Michael Guerriero had the funds to purchase Fake Articles but lacked the material to maintain diversity. He should have spent more money on content creation so that people assume the articles are genuine. This is sarcasm!!
The featured pieces by Michael Guerriero appear in magazines known for their sponsored and brand content, which enables anyone to upload their original content for cash. As seen above in the case of Weebly. The amount of work put into his articles is outstanding, even though his paid public relations firm or he may have made sure that he gets included in mid-tier and premium media. His writing style is quite distinctive and engaging.
These companies like F6S provide funding, investments, partnerships, programs, and a job board that companies can use to post job openings and make connections with bright people in a variety of industries both locally and internationally, They claim that F6S is a business that promotes the global startup community but actually, they hide the tarnished image of fraudulent companies like in the case of Michael Guerriero’s company “ Brands Gone Wild”.
The Unethical Rebranding Effort Made by Michael Guerriero
Although rebranding is not illegal, Michael Guerriero’s strategy poses ethical questions. He appears to be attempting to withhold some information from the public rather than owning up to his conduct and offering an apology to those who were harmed. This kind of reputation management is dishonest and might even prove harmful in the long term. If all the information is available to the public, they have a right to the truth and the capacity to decide for themselves. Someone has every right to be offended when they are given phony news since they are being treated like a fool. Michael Guerriero’s reputation is destroyed by fake news. Michael Guerriero’s arguments will be far less persuasive if they are founded on false information, both now and in the future. If someone wants to make an online purchase, they would want to read reliable articles about that company so they can make a good investment.
What is the reaction of the public to this
People have reacted to this with a mixture of shock and betrayal, and many have taken to social media to voice their displeasure with Michael Guerriero’s immoral actions. Some have demanded a boycott of Brands Gone Wild until the owners issue an official apology and accept accountability.
People’s arguments will be far less persuasive if they are founded on false information, both now and in the future. If someone wants to make an online purchase, they would want to read reliable articles about that company so they can make a good investment. If someone intends to cast a ballot in an election, you should learn as much as you can about each candidate so that you can choose the one who most accurately reflects your opinions and values. Real news may help people make money and improve the world; fake news cannot.
Conclusion
The alleged counterfeiting scheme of Michael Guerriero serves as a sharp reminder of the value of moral corporate conduct. The public is entitled to the truth and intelligent enough to make their own decision if they have all of the facts in front of them. When someone is presented with fake news, they have every right to be offended because they are being treated as an idiot.
The judicial of Public Opinion appears to have rendered its decision even if the judicial case is still pending. How Michael Guerriero and Brands Gone Wild will manage the choppy waters ahead is yet unknown.
This guy has deceived many retailers and the costumes by selling them fake products, these types of scams need to be stopped.
People like Michael Guerriero are using fake marketing strategies just to promote their products and these are the scams where lots of people are conned by fraudsters whose main intention is to defraud the customers.
Nowadays these types of scams are where people are quite common and people easily scammed by these fraudsters. And unable to reclaim the amount. And people will think that they are using the actual products.
These liars need to be punished by higher authorities. On the name of the Branded product, they were selling fake products.
These two men were charged by the regulatory authority $5000. The police arrested these two men and put them behind bars.
I don’t understand how these fraudsters easily execute these crimes, and without coming under the regulatory authority. It is better to check the product description and logos before buying the product. And one should have the proper knowledge about the product.
In the investigation, it was found that these two guys were doing scams and selling counterfeit clothes. It is hard to believe that the people who are coming to buy the valuable products were not getting the original products. But it is good to see that Toronto police seized the 1.8 million worth of counterfeit clothes.