Six individuals have been apprehended in relation to a criminal operation that targeted elderly individuals in Florida, resulting in the theft of approximately $250,000, according to authorities.
According to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the suspects approached the seniors and claimed that their grandchildren had been involved in a serious incident. They requested bail money for their release, as stated in a news release on Tuesday.
Miami-Dade Police, along with several other law enforcement agencies, were actively involved in the investigation. The scammers cleverly disguised themselves as lawyers or legal representatives of the grandchildren.
According to Moody, the individuals involved in the situation convinced the grandparents to send payment by emphasizing the urgency of the money in securing the release of their grandchildren from jail.
The individuals involved in the fraudulent activity requested cash, which was then collected by a courier. These couriers, often unsuspecting ride-share drivers, were unaware of the scam and unknowingly delivered the funds to the culprits, as explained by Moody.
Seniors in several counties, including Brevard, Broward, Lee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, and Sarasota, were targeted by scammers.
On several occasions, the scammers reached out to the victim repeatedly, applying pressure to extract additional funds.
According to Moody, a victim in Palm Bay was deceived by fraudsters who claimed that the pregnant woman had a miscarriage and that an additional $18,000 was needed due to upgraded charges.
The defendants later informed the victim that the father of the baby had assaulted the senior’s grandson, resulting in the miscarriage. Furthermore, they claimed that during the altercation, the grandchild accidentally elbowed a police officer, leading to an extra $20,000 required for bail, along with $7,500 in court fees. The victim was forced to hand over a staggering amount of $54,000 to the fraudsters.
A Melbourne resident fell victim to a criminal group and ended up losing a significant amount of money, totaling $53,000.
In a separate incident, a victim from Sarasota was deceived into sending $8,000 to scammers. Shockingly, the fraudsters had the audacity to call the victim again the following day, claiming that the pregnant woman had tragically lost her child. They heartlessly demanded an additional $4,000 for bail.
The following day, the defendants insisted that the grandson was responsible for the medical expenses resulting from the accident and demanded an additional $1,700.
A victim in Pompano Beach was scammed out of $30,000 for bail and was later tricked into sending an additional $7,000 as reported by NBC Miami. The fraudsters falsely claimed that the pregnant woman had passed away and used this as an excuse to increase the bond amount, according to Moody.
Six individuals, namely Jairo Izquierdo, Gennesis Castro, Wendy Angelina Ortiz, Ada Tido, Wandy Castro, and Olfa Cornielle, are currently facing a range of serious charges. These charges include organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, criminal use of personal identification, and other first-degree felonies.
Young Mother Shot Dead at Burger King; Boyfriend Sent to Jail for Alleged Murder in Arizona