Many people in California, Florida, and Arizona have been indicted on federal racketeering charges, which stemmed from criminal enterprises targeting senior citizens in the United States.
On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in San Diego returned an indictment accusing the following defendants of conspiracy under the Blackmailer Influence and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Six people have been arrested, including Timothy Ingram aka Bleezy, 29, from North Hollywood, California; Anajah Gifford, 23, from North Hollywood, California; Joaquin Lopez, 45, from Hollywood, Florida; and Jack, 24 Owuor Paramount, California; Tracy Greenton, 34, of Orlando, Florida, and Leda Harris, 73, of La Verne, Arizona.
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Two people who lived in Florida during the alleged crime-29-year-old Tracey Adeline Knowles and 29-year-old Adonis Alexis Butler Huang were also charged.
The eight men allegedly defrauded more than 70 senior American citizens across the United States — 10 incidents occurred in San Diego alone — to convince them that their grandchildren or close relatives had legal problems and needed help paying for bail and medical care caused by car accidents. Expenses or money to prevent further legal consequences from proceeding. Allegedly, the eight people received a total of US$2 million from senior citizens and will use various methods to withdraw money, including personal withdrawal, mail and wire transfer. The eight people also laundered money through cryptocurrency.
Arun Rao, deputy assistant attorney general of the Civil Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice, said the eight people were suspected of using deceptive measures to gain the trust of elderly victims.
Rao said in a press release: “These defendants are part of a large personal network that systematically targets American seniors by using their care for their loved ones.” Ministry of Justice Committed to prosecuting individuals who participate in such programs targeting vulnerable groups. “
“We thank our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and FBI Promote the department’s efforts to combat organized elderly fraud, as well as the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office,” Rao concluded.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, Randy Grossman, said the behavior of these eight people upset the elderly victim.
Grossman said in a press release: “This plan has hit many elderly victims financially and emotionally.” “Targeting the elderly and exploiting their love for their grandchildren is unreasonable. Older people. Fraud is a serious crime against some of the most vulnerable citizens of our country.”
“We are committed to combating all types of elder abuse in our community,” Grossman concluded.
Suzanne Turner, the head of the FBI’s San Diego office, said in a press release that “as our county’s population ages, losses across the country are as high as billions of dollars.” Senior fraud is a growing problem.
Turner concluded by saying that the San Diego Elderly Justice Task Force will use all resources to bring the accused individuals to justice.
Weekly newspaper The Department of Justice was contacted for further comment.
