PORTLAND –  Two Connecticut men who allegedly persuaded a Kennebunk resident to invest $600,000 in retirement savings in a resort in Hungary now face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Thomas Renison of Glastonbury, Conn., and Peter DiRosa of Manchester, Conn., were arrested after warrants were issued late last month. Each is now free on $50,000 bail.

In May 2008, Frank Jablonski provided $600,000 as an investment in a planned casino and golf resort to DiRosa and Renison, according to the affidavit of FBI Special Agent Christopher Peavey. Renison had managed some of Jablonski’s retirement funds.

Jablonski was told that the money would be returned after six months, along with interest and $400,000 in profit. He also was to receive $6,500 a month to replace lost income from his annuities and Renison was to pay any penalties and taxes from the withdrawal from his retirement accounts. So far, Jablonski has received $60,000.

About six months after Jablonski provided the $600,000, Renison told him it was no longer available because of the global economic slowdown.

Jablonski asked Renison for his money back in April 2009, after learning that he owed more than $300,000 in taxes because of the disbursement of the retirement annuities.

Renison declined, saying that Hungary was receiving U.S. stimulus money that would help the project, and that Jablonski would get an additional $100,000 for his trouble.

“We just received the complaint in this case, so we need to review the complaint more carefully,” said Richard Berne, Renison’s attorney in Maine. “Upon doing so and getting all the facts in this case, we believe Mr. Renison will be exonerated.”

DiRosa referred questions to a Portland attorney, William Maselli, who said it was too early to comment because he had only received the case the previous day.

According to Peavey, the FBI agent, DiRosa said in an interview in September 2009 that he had arranged to return $300,000 to Jablonski within a few days, followed by a second payment of $300,000 a week later. DiRosa said he tried to return the $600,000 six or seven other times but had problems because of bad wiring instructions, Peavey’s affidavit said.

The affidavit indicates that Renison told the FBI in September 2009 that Jablonski’s money was supposed to be in a Hungarian account and that he never received any of it.

Peavey documented three wire transfers — a total of $150,932 — from Hungary to the bank account of DiRosa’s wife, Eileen, from September 2008 to July 2009. Peavey listed some of the checks written from Eileen DiRosa’s account after the first two wire transfers, including checks to Renison for $100,000 and $5,000.

The money had been wired by the husband of the Hungarian lawyer described as the administrator of the escrow account holding Jablonski’s money.

Staff Writer Ann S. Kim can be contacted at 791-6383 or at:

akim@pressherald.com