Tiago Fontoura Miranda Sentenced to 10.5 Years for GetEasy MLM Ponzi Scheme
Tiago Fontoura Miranda, the former CEO of GetEasy, has been sentenced to 10.5 years in prison by a Spanish court for his role in a massive multi-level marketing (MLM) Ponzi scheme. Operating from 2014 to 2015, GetEasy defrauded over 8,000 victims across 70 countries, resulting in losses exceeding €25 million. The scheme, falsely promoted as a legitimate investment opportunity involving GPS trackers, was orchestrated from Europe despite claims of being based in Macau. This article explores the details of Fontoura’s sentencing, the broader GetEasy crackdown, and the ongoing legal efforts to hold its perpetrators accountable.
GetEasy: A Fraudulent MLM Scheme
Launched in 2014, GetEasy lured investors with promises of high returns through the rental of GPS trackers to nonexistent customers. Affiliates were encouraged to purchase “participation packs,” with returns paid using funds from new investors—a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. The company generated no legitimate retail revenue, relying entirely on affiliate investments. By February 2015, GetEasy had collapsed, leaving thousands of investors with significant financial losses.
The scheme was facilitated through a complex network of over 100 shell companies and bank accounts, used to launder stolen funds. GetEasy’s operations were primarily run by Fontoura, alongside other key figures such as António Joaquim Reis Dos Loios, Pedro Manuel Duarte, and Michael Herzog, who managed the International Finance Corporation Ltd. (IFC Group). Herzog is suspected of laundering millions of euros for the scheme but has not been linked to recent arrests.
Spanish Court Fontoura and Co-Conspirators
In January 2022, Spain’s National Court delivered sentences for nine individuals involved in GetEasy, following arrests that began in 2016. According to El Diario, the court imposed the following penalties:
- Tiago Fontoura Miranda: 10.5 years in prison for organized crime and fraud, as the public face and CEO of GetEasy.
- António Joaquim Reis Dos Loios: 3 years and 6 months, after admitting to the charges and cooperating with authorities. Loios also fronted VIConcept, a short-lived 2015 reboot of the GetEasy Ponzi scheme.
- Pedro Manuel Duarte: 47 years for organized crime and fraud, reflecting his significant role in the scheme.
- Two Spanish Businessmen: 3 years and 9 months each, plus a €1.9 million fine, for creating the corporate structure to launder profits.
- Five Front Men: Sentences ranging from 3 months to 2 years, including Mario Manuel Lopes Ribeiro, leader of the Orthodox Catholic Church of Portugal, who received 2 years.
The sentencing followed a multi-year investigation, dubbed Operation Bateo, initiated by the Spanish Civil Guard in 2013. Europol assisted local authorities in unraveling the scheme’s international scope.
Broader Implications for MLM and Crypto Scams
The GetEasy crackdown reflects a growing global effort to combat MLM Ponzi schemes, particularly those exploiting cryptocurrency or technology-based ruses. Similar cases, such as the $722 million BitClub Network scam involving Joby Weeks, demonstrate the scale and persistence of such frauds. Fontoura’s sentencing and the recent Portuguese arrest signal that authorities are intensifying efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, even years after the schemes collapse.
What’s Next?
The May 2025 arrest in Portugal and the pending extradition to Belgium mark the latest chapter in the GetEasy saga. While Fontoura and several co-conspirators have been sentenced, the identity of the recently arrested individual remains unconfirmed. If Michael Herzog or another key figure is involved, further developments could shed light on the full extent of GetEasy’s operations. Investors and victims are encouraged to report information to local authorities to aid ongoing investigations and potential asset recovery efforts.