Telemarketers arrested in Arizona on charges of defrauding elderly victims
Oct 26, 2018, 8:30 PM
(Pixabay Photo)
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX — Five Arizonans were arrested Thursday for allegedly working together in a telemarketing scheme targeting the elderly, ultimately defrauding victims of over $1 million.
A federal grand jury returned a 24-count indictment against the group of defendants for violations of the federal mail fraud statute and conspiracy to violate the mail and wire fraud statutes.
The indictment alleges that the telemarketers used false names and information about a supposed investment opportunity.
All five defendants were arrested and arraigned Thursday, and four are being temporarily detained before detainment hearings.
“These types of crimes are very difficult to actually prosecute because most of the victims are elderly and do not want to say much when it comes to these situations,” Cosme Lopez, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.
“We encourage any elderly victim or any victim out there that has any question about being defrauded in any telemarketer’s scheme, or anything, to contact a prosecution office, that being the state or our office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” he said.
The telemarketers could face up to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both a sentence and a fine.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Nailea Leon contributed to this report.
