New Bedford fishing mogul arrested on federal charges

NEW BEDFORD – Federal authorities raided one of the best-known seafood wholesalers in the Northeast late last month, arresting owner Carlos Rafael on charges of conspiracy and falsifying records.

Rafael, 64, of Carlos Seafood on South Front Street, and his bookkeeper, Debra Messier, 60, both of Dartmouth, were arrested Feb. 26 on charges of conspiracy and submitting falsified records to the federal government to evade federal fishing quotas, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz’s office. The charges arose out of an undercover investigation in which federal agents posed as organized crime figures interested in buying the fishing business, according to SouthCoast Today, the online version of The Standard-Times of New Bedford.

The complaint alleges that for years, Rafael, with help from Messier, lied to federal authorities about the quantity and species of fish that his boats caught in order to evade federal quotas that were designed to guarantee the sustainability of certain fish species, authorities said.

One waterfront business manager who did not wish to be identified said Rafael’s arrest was a “sad day” for the fishing industry. “If his boats [there are 40] lay idle in the city there’s going to be a domino effect.” •

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