Two men have been sentenced for their involvement in a “Grandparent Fraud Scheme” that targeted elderly in Pennsylvania and around the U.S.
Attorney Troy Rivetti said that Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, and Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, 26, have each been sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy.
The two Dominican Republic citizens, who were illegally present in the United States, were involved in a scheme to launder money earned through a grandparent scam based in the Dominic Republic.
According to prosecutors, scammers contacted elderly victims by impersonating a grandchild or other close family in difficulty and requesting emergency financial aid. The scammers then arranged for rideshare drivers to collect the victims’ cash and deliver it to members of the organized crime ring.
Brendan T. Conway, Assistant United States Attorney, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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