{"id":43832,"date":"2021-08-25T18:39:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T01:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=43832"},"modified":"2021-08-25T18:39:57","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T01:39:57","slug":"multiple-defendants-in-grandparent-scam-network-indicted-for-racketeering-conspiracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=43832","title":{"rendered":"Multiple Defendants in &#8216;Grandparent Scam&#8217; Network Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-sdca\/press-release\/file\/1427946\/download\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click to view the indictment.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal grand jury in San Diego has returned an indictment against eight defendants for their alleged roles in a federal racketeering conspiracy, authorities announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The indictment alleges the defendants were members and associates of a criminal enterprise that defrauded elderly Americans. The defendants made them falsely believe that a grandchild (or other close relative) was in trouble and needed their help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Grandparent Scam\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KpgwhdA0Wbg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption><strong>Examples of Grandparent Scam<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The elderly victims each paid thousands to tens of thousands of dollars to the criminal organization in this scheme. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendants with conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Six defendants have been arrested:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Timothy Ingram aka Bleezy, 29, of North Hollywood, California<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anajah Gifford, 23, of North Hollywood, California<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joaquin Lopez, 45, of Hollywood, Florida<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Jack Owuor, 24, of Paramount, California<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tracy Glinton, 34, of Orlando, Florida<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Lyda Harris, 73, of Laveen, Arizona <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two additional defendants \u2013 Tracy Adrine Knowles, 29, and Adonis Alexis Butler Wong, 29, who each resided in Florida during the alleged offense \u2013 have also been charged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese defendants were part of a large network of individuals that systematically targeted elderly Americans by preying on their concern for loved ones,&#8221;\u00a0said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun Rao for the Justice Department\u2019s Civil Division. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis scheme has left many elderly victims financially and emotionally devastated,\u201d said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California. \u201cIt is unconscionable to target the elderly and exploit their love for their grandchildren. Elder fraud is a serious crime against some of our nation\u2019s most vulnerable citizens. We are committed to combating all types of elder abuse in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cElder Fraud is a massive and growing problem, as our county\u2019s population gets older, with losses into the billions of dollars nationwide,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner of the FBI\u2019s San Diego Field Office. \u201cThe San Diego Elder Justice Task Force was set up to combine resources, experience, and capabilities to have a sophisticated and coordinated law enforcement response to fight this battle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the indictment, the defendants were members and associates of a network of individuals who, through extortion and fraud, induced elderly Americans across the United States to pay thousands to tens of thousands of dollars each to purportedly help their grandchild or other close family relatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to statements made by prosecutors in court, the defendants swindled more than $2 million from 70-plus elderly victims across the nation, with at least 10 in San Diego County. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The perpetrators contacted elderly Americans by telephone and impersonated a grandchild, other close relative, or friend of the victim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They falsely convinced the victims that their relatives were in legal trouble and needed money to pay for bail, medical expenses for car accident victims, or to prevent additional charges from being filed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The defendants and their co-conspirators received money from victims via various means, including in-person pickup, mail, and wire transfer, and laundered the proceeds, including through cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case was investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, which is a collaboration between the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office, the FBI, the District Attorney\u2019s Office and all San Diego County law enforcement agencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Elder Justice Task Force was officially launched in February 2020 and is believed to be the first comprehensive local law enforcement effort for this purpose anywhere in the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Note:&nbsp;Click to view the indictment. A federal grand jury in San Diego has returned an indictment against eight defendants for their alleged roles in a federal racketeering conspiracy, authorities announced Wednesday. The&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Multiple Defendants in &#039;Grandparent Scam&#039; Network Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Note:&nbsp;Click to view the indictment. 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