Brend Martin's Mexican Prison Sentence

Fraud Charges in Alyn Waage's Internet Scheme

I suffered in a Mexican prison for 2 years, 2o months, and 22 days. I worked in Puerto Vallarta as a chef manager of a well-known restaurant until I met and began to work for Alyn Waage who, unbeknownst to me, operated what’s been called the largest Internet fraud scheme in history, defrauding over $60 million from 15,000 people. I was picked up by the Federales who offered to take me to the airport for $50,000. Without a bribe I was going to prison.

In 2002 I testified twice, voluntarily, against Alyn Waage. Ultimately, they were used to arrest me though the warrant stated there was no evidence, no one testifying against me for "alleged" crimes. I was guilty because I received severance pay from Alyn Waage.

Eventually I would go to Guadalajara before a judge. Two transport (not criminal) lawyers worked on my behalf for 5 months, costing my family and friends $20,000 but to no effect. Sentenced in Guadalajara: Guilty of Fraud

On February 18 2006, a Saturday when no consulate or embassy was open and no translator could help, the court heard my case in Spanish. I didn’t understand anything yet they forced me to sign a declaration. Had the Canadian government gotten involved in my case, I would have been released.

They dropped me at the prison where I was psychologically abused by inmates and the staff. I was beaten. Wildcats became my pets and the guards crushed them with their boots to torment me. I was robbed, but the inmates who did it went unpunished.

I shared my prison cell with 2 other women: one who stabbed her two children under 3 with dull scissors (she was able to have these with her in bed in the prison and was on medication) and one kidnapped wealthy tourists with her husband and cut off the victims' digits to send their families before they dismembered bodies. She got 15 years, he got 32.

They fed me, but I was ill and had to have food brought in when possible. Toilet paper and water were not supplied. Chlorinated water made us sick. I didn’t have visitors for 18 months of the 26 I was incarcerated. I had a gift box paid for via a friend sent monthly containing dry goods. In the last 3 months people brought phone cards, toothpaste, chicken, other luxuries.

Canadian Foreign Affairs and Correction Canada Respond to Media Pressure

Canadian Foreign Affairs eventually got so inundated with bad publicity that I was allowed weekly phone calls with my mother during the last 10 months, though sometimes they’d cut off the line. I read a book a day for the first year, and did exercises, yoga and meditation.

On April 22, 2008, after more than two years, I was found guilty and sentenced by the Mexican judge to five years in prison. The warden called me in to sign the transfer papers to Canada. The Mexican prison didn’t want a problem inmate any longer.

On a Friday morning a psychologist from Corrections Canada, two guards and more than two dozen others took me home in a private plane without handcuffs. Stepping on Canadian soil was surreal…driving Highway 401 in Ontario with a Tim Horton's coffee unbelievable.

Canadian Prison and Parole until 2011

After eight days at the Kitchener, Ontario prison, I was ready to go back to Mexico! My “celebrity status” had put me in harm’s way with the inmates who said, “You’re a convicted felon, just like us; don’t think you’re going to get any special treatment.” I felt threatened.

The Canadian system has regimented lock-downs and no smoking after hours, but I did get privileges - my mother was allowed to visit the day after I arrived because I hadn’t seen family. They put me through the system, but I would be eligible for parole from the day of my release. As a convicted felon I can't go more than 44 kms from home.

I've been accused of turning in Rebecca Roth, who also worked for Alyn Waage, but in truth she turned me into the police – that’s how they found me.

It’s hard to start over again at 51. I’m on parole until 2011. If the Mexican government pardoned me, I would go back, believe it or not. I wasn’t rich, I didn’t own a home, a car, a telephone…but I was comfortable. I had the beach.