SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A Mexican national residing in Utah has been indicted and taken into custody for allegedly defrauding investors of approximately $1 million in a securities fraud scheme.
Christian Montiel-Caleit, a 45-year-old from Mexico living in West Valley City, Utah, was apprehended on January 29, 2026, following a federal grand jury indictment issued the previous day. Court documents allege that from 2021 to December 2024, Montiel-Caleit deceived around 30 investors by falsely claiming he was licensed to sell securities and promising substantial returns, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
Montiel-Caleit allegedly promised investors 100% returns within 12 months, but instead used funds from new investors to pay previous ones, failing to deliver the promised returns or timely return of principal investments. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported that Montiel-Caleit is in the United States illegally, having been previously removed on March 2, 2006…