Whitefish man sought in securities fraud case

LAS VEGAS — U.S. officials say three people have been arrested in Nevada and Wisconsin, and three are sought in Montana and Switzerland on charges that they headed a multimillion-dollar securities fraud in Las Vegas and Zurich.

Court records show that Antony Brandel and Joseph Micelli pleaded not guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to 24 charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and securities fraud.

Micelli’s lawyer, Mace Yampolsky, says it’s too early to comment about the case.

Also named are James Warras of Waterford, Wis., Sean Finn of Whitefish, and Martin Schlaepfer and Hans-Jurg Lips of Zurich.

Prosecutors say Warras was arrested Friday in Wisconsin.

The six allegedly used The Malom Group in Switzerland and MY Consultants in Nevada to defraud investors over the last four years.