On November 12, 2021, Lyda Harris, 74, of Laveen, Arizona, was extradited to the United States from Albania.
On Thursday, she entered a guilty plea in federal court. On June 9, Orlando, Florida resident Tracy Glinton, 35, entered a guilty plea.
Six of the eight individuals who were charged in this case were taken into custody and have since all entered guilty pleas.
The other two defendants are still at large.
In court documents, it is stated that the defendants were part of a network of people who, by using extortion and fraud, convinced elderly Americans all over the country to pay hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars each in order to allegedly support their grandchildren or other close relatives.
Members of the network telephoned elderly Americans while posing as the victim’s grandson, another close family, or a friend.
They misled the victims into believing that their loved ones were in problems with the law and need money to cover bail, medical costs for auto accident victims, or to stop the filing of new charges.
After receiving money from victims through a variety of channels, including in-person pickup, mail, and wire transfer, the defendants and their accomplices laundered the funds using numerous methods, including cryptocurrencies.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, chief of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said, “The Consumer Protection Branch will continue to investigate and punish criminals who target older Americans and take advantage of their worry for loved ones.”
In order to further the department’s efforts against organized elder fraud, we are grateful to our colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, the FBI, and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman for the Southern District of California, “These defendants were a part of a sophisticated criminal enterprise that exploited the immense affection a grandparent has for a grandchild.”
“The victims were left in a financial and emotional state of ruin by heartless persons who just cared about their own financial gain.
These defendants have been brought to justice as a result of the diligence of our prosecution team and our cooperating law enforcement agencies.”
“Across the nation, scammers continue to target our older population at an increasing rate.
According to Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, “These defendants preyed on and routinely stole from their victims with deliberate malice.”
“These guilty pleas make it quite evident that the FBI is committed to finding, looking into, and prosecuting individuals who commit financial crimes. To protect our seniors, the FBI will continue to collaborate with its San Diego Elder Justice Task Force partners.
In accordance with the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, Harris and Glinton admitted to conspiring. Harris will be sentenced on September 30, 2022, while Glinton will be punished on September 9.
The maximum sentence for each is 20 years in prison. After taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal considerations, a federal district court judge will decide on any sentence. Two more defendants have been named in charges but not yet been detained.
Investigators from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office provided crucial support to the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, North County Resident Agency, in their investigation of the case.
The lawsuit is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Lauren M. Elfner and Wei Xiang from the Consumer Protection Branch of the Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson from the Southern District of California.
The department’s substantial and comprehensive anti-elder fraud operations aim to stop the widespread losses seniors sustain as a result of fraud schemes.
Sharing knowledge about the many elder fraud schemes with family members, friends, neighbours, and other seniors who can utilize that information to protect themselves is the best strategy for prevention, though.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11, offers assistance to anybody 60 years of age or over who has fallen victim to financial fraud (1-833-372-8311).
The Office for Victims of Crime, which manages this Department of Justice hotline, staffs it with knowledgeable individuals who offer callers individualized care by determining the victim’s requirements and appropriate next steps.
On a case-by-case basis, case managers will identify the proper reporting agencies, give callers information to aid in reporting, put callers in direct contact with the proper agencies, and provide resources and recommendations.
The initial step is to report. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as feasible will raise the possibility of recovering damages, and reporting can help authorities catch fraudsters. The helpline is accessible from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday.
There is a choice of languages, including English and Spanish.