By: Richard L. Smith
A New York man has been charged with wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly acting as a courier in a Dominican Republic-based "grandparent scam" that targeted elderly Americans. Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury, and the indictment was unsealed today in Newark.
According to the indictment, the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic, where conspirators made phone calls to elderly victims in the United States, pretending to be the victims' grandchildren, attorneys representing the grandchildren, court personnel, or other legal officials.
The scammers convinced the victims that their grandchildren had been arrested and required cash for bail or other expenses.
Once the victims were persuaded, co-conspirators instructed them to provide cash to couriers like Valdez, who would visit the victims' homes to collect the money.
Between August 2020 and August 2021, Valdez allegedly retrieved or attempted to retrieve tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims in New York and New Jersey.
"The alleged perpetrators in these scams – including this defendant – target our vulnerable senior population," said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
"They count on the grandparents’ love and devotion to their families to convince them to put up money.
As alleged in this indictment, the defendant worked as a courier, traveling to the homes of the scam victims to pick up the money. My office will protect the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target the vulnerable to cheat them out of their savings."
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated, "The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes. We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad."
Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for the Social Security Administration (SSA) added, "Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain. We appreciate our law enforcement partners joining us in investigating and prosecuting these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding elderly Americans, many of whom rely on SSA benefits to make ends meet."
If convicted, Valdez faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
