A Florida man was sentenced at this time to 133 months in jail for his function in a world telemarketing scheme orchestrated from a name heart in Costa Rica that defrauded greater than 400 victims — lots of whom have been aged — in the USA out of tens of millions of {dollars}.
Manuel Mauro Chavez, 32, of Hollywood, was convicted at trial in July 2021 within the Western District of North Carolina of 1 rely of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one rely of conspiracy to commit worldwide cash laundering, and 6 counts of worldwide cash laundering. In response to courtroom paperwork and proof introduced at trial, Chavez was a U.S.-based participant in a fraudulent scheme wherein telemarketers based mostly in Costa Rica falsely posed as U.S. authorities officers and contacted victims in the USA to inform them they’d received a considerable “sweepstakes” prize, however earlier than gathering this supposed prize, they wanted to make a sequence of up-front funds to cowl purported taxes or different charges. After deceiving victims out of their cash, Chavez transmitted these funds from the USA for the advantage of the decision heart and others concerned within the scheme in Costa Rica.
In two associated issues, Mark Raymond Oman, 38, of Lengthy Seashore, Washington, was sentenced on Nov. 17, 2022, to 3 years and one month in jail, and Paul Andy Stiep, 30, of Miami, was sentenced on Dec. 20, 2022, to seven years in jail. Oman labored on the name heart soliciting victims and picked up sufferer funds in Costa Rica, whereas Stiep transmitted victims’ funds from the USA for the advantage of the decision heart in Costa Rica.
Assistant Legal professional Common Kenneth A. Well mannered, Jr. of the Justice Division’s Felony Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Felony Investigative Division, Performing Particular Agent in Cost Michael Scherck of the FBI Charlotte Discipline Workplace, Inspector in Cost Tommy Coke of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Atlanta Division, and Particular Agent in Cost Bryant Jackson of the IRS Felony Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Discipline Workplace made the announcement.
The FBI, USPIS, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Joshua DeBold and Della Sentilles of the Felony Division’s Fraud Part prosecuted the case.
The division’s in depth and broad-based efforts to fight elder fraud search to halt the widespread losses seniors undergo from fraud schemes. One of the best technique for prevention, nevertheless, is by sharing details about the varied forms of elder fraud schemes with family, buddies, neighbors, and different seniors who can use that info to guard themselves.
For those who or somebody you realize is age 60 or older and has been a sufferer of monetary fraud, assist is obtainable on the Nationwide Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Division of Justice hotline, managed by the Workplace for Victims of Crime, is staffed by skilled professionals who present customized assist to callers by assessing the wants of the sufferer and figuring out related subsequent steps. Case managers will establish acceptable reporting companies, present info to callers to help them in reporting, join callers instantly with acceptable companies, and supply assets and referrals, on a case-by-case foundation. Reporting is step one. Reporting may also help authorities establish those that commit fraud and reporting sure monetary losses attributable to fraud as quickly as potential can improve the chance of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days every week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and different languages can be found.
