"Yellow Pages" Cold Calls and Fake Invoices: 30 Months After Extradition From Greece

What happened

On December 3, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced that Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen sentenced Nemr Hallak, 43, of Quebec, Canada. He also received three years of supervised release.

Hallak was indicted in 2016 on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud. He was first arrested in Greece in 2016, then re-arrested and extradited to the United States in late 2023. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud on September 12, 2024.

How the scheme worked

According to Hallak's plea agreement and court documents:

• Shell companies were formed in Florida and Delaware in the names of nominees who were paid in cash to serve as officers but did not control the companies.
• Many shell companies used the term "Yellow Pages" to appear legitimate.
• Thousands of victims were cold-called and told they had a pre-existing relationship with a "Yellow Pages" or similar entity and owed money for a previously purchased business directory listing.
• The claimed amounts ranged from $400 to $1,800, backed by fake invoices.
• When that did not work, some victims were harassed, threatened with legal action and sent more false invoices with added charges.

According to IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the scheme victimized thousands out of more than $5 million. Co-defendants Tolga Suatac and Michelina Perna pleaded guilty and were sentenced in March 2023. Co-defendant Roberto Mancini's case was pending.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and IRS-CI investigated. The DOJ Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition, with help from Greek authorities.

Why it matters

Directory listing scams are among the oldest business-to-business telemarketing frauds. They work because small businesses often pay routine invoices without checking them, and because "Yellow Pages" sounds familiar.

The Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) generally exempts business-to-business calls, but fraud statutes do not. The combination of a false claim of a prior relationship, a fake invoice and threats of legal action is enough to support mail and wire fraud charges.

The case also shows that time and distance offer little protection. Hallak was indicted in 2016 and sentenced eight years later after extradition.

Practical steps

• Businesses: match every invoice to a purchase order or signed agreement.
• Train front desk staff not to confirm orders or "update listings" on unsolicited calls.
• Sellers of directory or listing services: keep written proof of every order.
• Never threaten legal action over a debt you cannot document.