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Two Dominican Nationals Extradited Over "Grandparent Scam" Targeting U.S. Seniors
Impersonation and Fraud Scheme Leads to Multiple Charges and Extradition
NEWARK, N.J. – Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, both from Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, were extradited to the United States on charges connected to a widespread scam defrauding American seniors. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, in coordination with the Justice Department, announced that both individuals made their initial court appearance in Newark yesterday.
“As alleged, these two defendants played a role in a scheme that relied on the love and devotion of elderly victims in order to cheat them out of millions of dollars. In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ some of the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. Conspirators like Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura allegedly impersonated a variety of people – police officers, lawyers and others – to convince the victims to pay up, which the panic-stricken grandparents often did. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger.
Details of the Scam:
Operating from call centers in the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura allegedly targeted elderly individuals across multiple states including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The scam involved callers impersonating distressed relatives of the victims—often claiming the relatives were in urgent need of bail money following an accident or arrest.
These "openers" would then pass the call to "closers" like Rodriguez Guzman and Reynoso Ventura, who impersonated legal or law enforcement officials to further convince the victims to send money. Victims were instructed to provide cash directly to couriers or send it through mail services.
“These defendants and their co-conspirators are accused of heartlessly robbing countless elderly victims of their precious time and often their life savings – all from more than 1,500 miles away," said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo of HSI New York. “Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura were among the 16 individuals charged in this appalling scheme, which spanned at least four U.S. states and allegedly threatened hundreds of innocent Americans’ livelihoods."
Legal Proceedings and Charges:
Following their recent extradition, both men face serious allegations under a 19-count indictment, including mail and wire fraud conspiracy, individual counts of wire and mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and significant financial penalties.
The extradition was facilitated by extensive international cooperation, highlighting the commitment of both the U.S. and Dominican governments to combat cross-border criminal activities. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane and several trial attorneys from the Consumer Protection Branch of the Civil Division.
“The grandparent scam is a cruel fraud scheme that deliberately preys on elderly and vulnerable persons within society. Perpetrators, often cowardly operating off-shore, cause extreme emotional and financial harm to the innocent people they target in [the] commission of this crime,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bradley Parker of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston New York Field Division.
Resources for Victims:
Authorities urge seniors or those aware of elderly individuals who may have been targets of financial fraud to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) for support and assistance.
As the legal process unfolds, it's important to remember that an indictment is not a determination of guilt. All accused individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
