MIAMI
A Peruvian woman accused of running a major fraud and extortion scheme was extradited to the U.S. and appeared in Miami federal court, the DOJ and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced.
Carla Magaly Alcedo Mendoza,
43, of Lima, faces charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and extortion. She was arrested in Peru on March 27, 2023, following a U.S. extradition request.
Alcedo Mendoza is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
According to the indictment, from 2013 to 2018, Alcedo ran call centers in Peru that targeted Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S. Callers posed as representatives of universities or government agencies, offering fake financial aid for English programs. Victims who showed interest were later pressured to pay bogus fees, and when they refused, they were threatened with lawsuits or arrest.
Alcedo is charged in an 18-count federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Officials stated that if convicted of the charges, Alcedo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.