Management Innovators, Inc. Karen Clark Timeshare sale fraud Roxbury, Boston Massachusetts

We were contacted around May 1, 2016 about Managent Innovators selling our timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Karen Clark whose address is listed as Boston, MA, and stated that she frequently negotiated real estate sales in Mexico. She said she had a buyer from Mexico who wanted to buy many timeshares for use in his company.  

She immediately put paperwork into action for a sales contract price of $31,800.  Sale was to close on May 27, 2016.  We were told on approximately May 15, that a 9% tax charge on the sale.  We were told that the Federal Tax had to be paid before sales funds could leave the country.  We sent a certified check on May 26, 2016, for $2,862.00 to BBVA Bancomer, to Francisco Vargas  Rameriz. We have a signed document from Karen Clark that the Mexican Government would release the escrow funds and funding would take place within 5 business days.  We were told our sale would be funded within 24 hours.  

On May 31, we were notified by Karen Clark that as of May 23, 2016, Mexico had instated a STATE TAX of $3,180.00. She stated in writing that ALL Mexican taxes would be refunded upon money entering United States. On June 1, 2016, we sent a wire of $3,180.00 for STATE TAXES, to Ernesto Ghio Tavares to Bancomer Bank.

On June 6, 2016, we were notified by Francisco Vargas Ramirez, that Ricardo Trevino Chapa, Administrator General  Aduanas de Mexico had notified him that our funds were being detained at the offices of Aduanas de Mexico, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, requiring a CUSTOMS fee of $4,250.00 before our funds can leave Mexico.  We were told that if the customs fee was not paid by June 10, our funds would be released back to Mexico, and we would never be able to cross into Mexico again.  Karen Clark told us that was uncustomary but not unheard of.  We sent a certified check to the Mexican office for $4,250.00 on June 17,2016.  She also told us that all customs fees and State and Federal taxes would be refunded once the sales funds were released from Mexico into the United States.  Ricardo Chapa stated in writing that once the customs fee was paid our sales fund check would now be $37,842.00. Once fee was received, our funds would be released within 24 hours. Our certified check for customs fee was sent by wire transfer on June 17,2016.  

On June 13, we received an email from Karen Clark stating that she had been arrested by the Mexican government for allowing clients to receive "large sums of money without the proper paperwork".  She proceeded to tell us that we would have to make another wire transfer of $6,200 before she would be released from the Mexican jail.  We notified her that we would not be sending any more money and that we wanted the sale of our timeshare to be cancelled and we expected all monies paid to be refunded.  

All correspondence contains very official looking documents, with bank routing numbers, Mexico federal stamps on documents, license numbers for contact names, etc.  I later received an email from Karen Clark stating that she was out of jail and the sales contract could go forward without the payment of the $6,200.00. We have yet to receive any money as of June 22, 2016.

on June 22, 2016, we receive another email from Karen Clark, stating that we MUST pay an $8,000 fine for going over the Mexican security limit and for receiving refunds and various wires.  She told us she paid 60% of the fine but I would have to pay the remaining $3,504.00.  

We told her again we wanted the sale cancelled.  Still no refund of money paid in.