Man convicted in green energy fraud
State officials have helped convict a California man who bilked Mainers and others out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a green energy scheme.
Information provided by the state's Office of Securities helped convict James Rivera of 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud in federal district court in California. Rivera used various company names, including Apostles Inc. and Almighty Wind, and scammed dozens of investors, including at least 10 in Maine, by claiming to own a patent for a new windmill technology. Rivera falsely told investors he had pending orders for the windmill technology from government agencies, a large retail chain and film director Oliver Stone, according to reports from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network and the Bangor Daily News. Rivera scammed a Brewer couple out of $30,000 in 2008.
Rivera will be sentenced Sept. 12, and he faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 and restitution to his victims.
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