NEW JERSEY — The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man accused of participating in a scheme that defrauded about 2,000 investors of more than $650 million.
Rey E. Grabato II has been added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list, becoming the second person added to the new list of individuals charged with defrauding Americans, according to the FBI’s Newark field office.
Grabato is wanted for his alleged involvement in an investment fraud scheme that operated between February 2018 and January 2022. Hundreds of the approximately 2,000 investors affected were from New Jersey, the FBI said.
Grabato served as president and majority owner of National Realty Investment Advisors LLC, a real estate investment company, according to the FBI.
Grabato and others allegedly misrepresented the value of NRIA’s investment fund, which was reportedly used to acquire equity interests in companies investing in real estate assets.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Grabato on Oct. 12, 2022, in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
He is charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to tax.
The FBI also alleges Grabato participated in a separate scheme between November 2007 and August 2022 to obstruct, impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service’s efforts to collect approximately $26 million in outstanding tax liabilities owed to the federal government.
Anyone with information about Grabato’s whereabouts can submit a tip through the FBI’s online tip portal, call 1-800-CALL-FBI or contact FBI Newark at 973-792-3000.
