A federal grand jury charged Victor Anthony Valdez, 39, of the Bronx, for his role as a courier in a “grandparent scam” based in the Dominican Republic that targeted elderly Americans, officials stated.
Valdez faces one count of wire fraud conspiracy.
The indictment, unsealed today in Newark, New Jersey, reveals that the scam operated from call centers in the Dominican Republic.
These centers called elderly Americans, pretending to be the victims’ grandchildren, attorneys, court personnel, or other legal system representatives.
The scammers claimed the victims’ grandchildren had been arrested and needed cash for bail or other expenses. Once convinced, the victims were instructed to give cash to couriers, including Valdez, who went to their homes to collect the money.
From August 2020 to August 2021, Valdez allegedly retrieved or attempted to retrieve tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims in New York and New Jersey.
“Mr. Valdez knowingly preyed upon the elderly for his own gain,” said Inspector General Gail S. Ennis for the Social Security Administration (SSA). “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 up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Joshua Ferrentino of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane for the District of Jersey are prosecuting the case.