{"id":49735,"date":"2022-05-09T14:39:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-09T21:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49735"},"modified":"2022-05-09T14:39:02","modified_gmt":"2022-05-09T21:39:02","slug":"defendant-in-grandparent-scam-network-guilty-of-felony-conspiracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=49735","title":{"rendered":"Defendant in “Grandparent Scam” Network Guilty of Felony Conspiracy"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"A third member of a network that operated and facilitated a large-scale \u201cgrandparent scam\u201d plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy, federal officials announced Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

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According to\u00a0charges announced in August 2021<\/a>, Anajah Gifford, 23, of North Hollywood, California, was a member 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 another close family relative. <\/span><\/p>\n

Members of the network contacted elderly Americans by telephone and impersonated a grandchild, other close relative or friend of the victim. <\/span><\/p>\n

They falsely convinced the victims that their relatives were in legal trouble and needed money to pay for bail, for medical expenses for car accident victims, or to prevent additional charges from being filed, officials stated.<\/span><\/p>\n

The defendants and their co-conspirators then received money from victims via various means (including in-person pickup, mail and wire transfer) and laundered the proceeds, including through cryptocurrency.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was a despicable scam that packed an emotional punch for its elderly victims,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman of the Southern District of California. \u201cIt\u2019s heartless to tell grandparents they must pay tens of thousands of dollars to rescue their beloved grandchildren from terrible trouble. These are serious crimes and there should be serious penalties.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

These guilty pleas are a prime example of the collaboration and coordination among our local, state, and federal partners who make up San Diego\u2019s Elder Justice Task Force, and the great work being done to protect our elderly population,\u201d said Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner of the FBI San Diego Field Office. \u201cThe task force is committed to aggressively pursuing criminal organizations who prey on our senior citizens, and we will utilize all available investigative means to bring them to justice. I would also like to thank the FBI\u2019s Los Angeles Field Office for their continued support in this case.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gifford pleaded guilty to conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. <\/span><\/p>\n

She is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5 and faces up to 20 years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three co-defendants remain pending trial. Two additional defendants have been charged but remain at large.<\/span><\/p>\n

The case was investigated by the FBI\u2019s San Diego Field Office, North County Resident Agency, with critical assistance from investigators of the San Diego County District Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C. A third member of a network that operated and facilitated a large-scale \u201cgrandparent scam\u201d plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy, federal officials announced Monday. According to\u00a0charges announced in August 2021, Anajah…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49736,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-department-of-justice"],"yoast_head":"\nDefendant in "Grandparent Scam" Network Guilty of Felony Conspiracy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"WASHINGTON D.C. 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