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irishexaminer.com
· 2025-12-08
French actor Dany Boon was defrauded of nearly €7 million by Thierry Fialek-Birles, a con artist who posed as an Oxford-educated Irish aristocrat and maritime lawyer. Operating under multiple aliases and identities, Fialek-Birles gained Boon's trust by claiming to renovate his yacht, then convinced him to transfer €2.2 million for yacht management and €4.5 million for a fake Irish Central Bank investment scheme before disappearing and transferring funds to offshore accounts in Panama and South Korea. Fialek-Birles, who was arrested in Panama in February 2024, faces trial in
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury in Puerto Rico for conspiracy to launder funds from large-scale fraud schemes including romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, and business email compromise attacks that disproportionately targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. Baiyewu and four co-conspirators routed stolen proceeds through multiple accounts to conceal their origin, then used the funds to purchase used cars shipped to Nigeria and distribute money to other co-conspirators between 2020 and 2021. The defendants will be sentenced by the District of Puerto Rico court.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
An elderly victim in Bristolville, Ohio, and his sister lost over $1.6 million in a cryptocurrency investment scam that began with a text from an unknown person claiming to be named "Zach." The scammer, operating under the username "Shaw Goddess" on Telegram, posed as a successful investor and convinced the victim to open accounts on Crypto.com and Strike.com, ultimately directing him to transfer over $1 million to a fake investment platform; when withdrawal attempts failed, the victim realized the fraud. Federal investigators used blockchain analysis to trace approximately $200,000 of the stolen funds to a Tether cryptocurrency address, which was frozen by Tether Limited in December
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-eight alleged members of a Chinese organized crime ring operating since at least 2019 were charged in federal indictments for a $65 million fraud scheme targeting thousands of seniors across the United States, including a 97-year-old Holocaust survivor's widow who lost her entire life savings. The network, composed primarily of Chinese nationals working with India-based call centers, used impersonation and psychological manipulation to trick victims into wiring money, with scammers posing as technical support agents or government officials and often convincing victims they had received mistaken refunds. After a nationwide takedown operation, 25 defendants were arrested, $4.2 million was seized from financial accounts
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
Two New Jersey brothers, Abhishek and Tushar Barvalia, allegedly defrauded four elderly women (ages 76-90) out of nearly $400,000 between June 2023 and January 2024 by impersonating government agents, bank representatives, and Microsoft/FTC officials and convincing them their accounts were compromised or involved in illegal activity. The victims, located in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and Connecticut, were manipulated into withdrawing cash or sending cashier's checks to accounts controlled by the defendants, with individual losses ranging from $15,000 to $171,680. The brothers face charges of second-degree gran
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired merchant navy officer, Surya Pal Singh, and his 100-year-old father, Hardev Singh, lost Rs 1.29 crore in a "digital arrest" scam in Lucknow. Scammers impersonated a CBI officer, sent a fake arrest notice via WhatsApp claiming money laundering charges, and convinced the victims to transfer funds through multiple RTGS transactions to various accounts between August 21-26. The fraud was discovered only after the transfers were completed, with payments dispersed to accounts in Bhavnagar, Panaji, and Jalgaon.
onmanorama.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired Kerala couple—Dr. S Lathika (72) and Shankaran Bhattathiri (69)—lost ₹2.4 crore in a "digital arrest" scam after receiving a call claiming to be from TRAI about a money-laundering investigation. The scammers held them in a continuous video call for 11 days, preventing them from disconnecting even at night, monitoring their movements, and threatening arrest while forcing them to transfer funds. The psychological control was so severe that Dr. Lathika delayed cancer treatment to comply with the scammers' restrictions, only visiting a hospital after days of pleading.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Sacramento resident lost her entire life savings of $28,000 in a sophisticated elder fraud scheme involving email and WhatsApp impersonation of PayPal officials. The scammers used fear tactics to convince her to withdraw cash from two banks, then sent a second perpetrator posing as a Social Security officer to her home to collect the wrapped money using a predetermined password. The case highlights gaps in law enforcement resources, as the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department reduced its elder abuse detective unit from 12 to 8 officers due to budget cuts.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian citizen, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, pleaded guilty to operating a romance scam between 2017 and 2018 that defrauded multiple American women of over $405,000 using a fake online persona called "Larry Pham." Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created fake dating profiles to build romantic relationships with middle-aged female victims, then manipulated them into sending money and laundered the proceeds through various financial transactions. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of two counts plus fines totaling up to $750,000, with sentencing scheduled for December 4, 2025.
ktvz.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Sacramento woman lost her entire life savings of $28,000 in an elder fraud scheme in which scammers impersonated PayPal and Social Security officials via email and WhatsApp, using scare tactics about money laundering to pressure her into withdrawing cash from two banks. One perpetrator came to her home posing as a Social Security officer and collected the boxed cash using a predetermined password, despite the victim being a former bank teller. The Sacramento County grand jury has recommended that local law enforcement hire specialized financial abuse detectives to better investigate these frequently underreported crimes.
timesofsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-eight members of a Chinese organized crime ring were charged in federal court in San Diego for defrauding senior citizens nationwide out of millions of dollars through unsolicited phone calls and emails claiming mistaken refunds. Victims were pressured to send money to short-term rentals, with one 97-year-old Holocaust survivor losing her entire life savings; YouTube content creators helped law enforcement identify three defendants and gather evidence through undercover stings. Twenty-five defendants have been arrested and face charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering.
kcra.com
· 2025-12-08
A Sacramento woman lost $28,000 in life savings after responding to a fraudulent email claiming unauthorized PayPal charges, which led her to call a scammer posing as a PayPal representative. The caller convinced her that her identity had been used to open 22 accounts linked to money laundering and threatened her with arrest, instructing her to withdraw cash for a fake "investigation hold" by Social Security officials. Police are investigating the incident, and PayPal advises customers to report suspicious emails directly rather than calling numbers provided in them.
nbcsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal prosecutors charged more than two dozen members of a Chinese scam ring with defrauding thousands of victims of over $65 million through refund scams that involved unsolicited contact, psychological manipulation, and remote computer access. The investigation was aided by YouTube scam-baiters who conducted undercover operations in 2020-21, and recent raids across four states resulted in 25 arrests, $4.2 million in seized cash, and the impoundment of luxury vehicles. Notable victims included a 97-year-old Holocaust survivor's widow from San Diego who lost her life savings.
spokesman.com
· 2025-12-08
A 51-year-old former postal inspector in Massachusetts was arrested and charged with 45 counts, including stealing over $330,000 from elderly victims (average age 75) who had been defrauded by lottery scams and mailed cash to scammers. Kelley, who ironically led the Mail Fraud Unit investigating such scams, intercepted packages flagged by the Postal Service's anti-fraud algorithm, stole the cash from victims attempting to recover their losses, and laundered the money through money orders and multiple bank accounts to fund personal expenses including a pool patio and Caribbean cruise. He also stole $7,000 from an evidence locker and falsely blamed another inspector
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 78-year-old man in Noida was defrauded of Rs 3.14 crore in a "digital arrest" scam where fraudsters impersonated government officials (TRAI, police, CBI, Supreme Court) and convinced him he was involved in money laundering, keeping him and his wife under virtual surveillance for 15 days before the deception was discovered. Cybercrimes against seniors have surged 86% between 2020-2022, with common scams including digital arrest, investment fraud, deepfakes, government impersonation, and OTP theft, exploiting seniors' vulnerability to trust-based and fear-based tactics.
mercurynews.com
· 2025-12-08
YouTubers conducting "scambait" sting operations in 2020-2021 provided crucial evidence that helped federal prosecutors dismantle a Chinese organized crime group that defrauded more than 2,000 elderly victims of approximately $65 million across the United States. The scheme, operated primarily by Chinese nationals working with Indian call centers, targeted seniors (average age 70+) through phone calls, emails, and pop-up ads, using social engineering tactics to trick victims into wire transfers, cash shipments, and gift card payments by impersonating bank employees or government officials. Twenty-five of 28 indicted defendants were arrested and face federal charges including mail fraud, wire fraud,
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A former U.S. Postal Inspector, Scott Kelley, was arrested and charged in a 45-count indictment for stealing over $330,000 in cash from packages mailed by elderly scam victims between 2019 and 2023, then laundering the money and evading taxes. As Team Leader of the Mail Fraud Unit investigating lottery scams targeting seniors, Kelley exploited his position to intercept approximately 1,950 packages flagged by the USPIS algorithm, opening and stealing cash from parcels—with identified victims averaging 75 years old losing between $1,400 and $19,100 each. Additionally, Kelley st
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Between January 2020 and December 2024, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) identified 137,153 Bank Secrecy Act reports involving Chinese money laundering networks (CMLNs) that moved approximately $312 billion in suspicious transactions, including $766 million linked to adult and senior day care centers suggesting potential elder abuse and fraud. CMLNs exploit financial loopholes to launder drug cartel proceeds while helping Chinese entities bypass currency restrictions, and increasingly use real estate, trade-based schemes, money mules, and infiltration of financial institutions to obscure illicit funds. The Treasury Department has prioritized dism
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Between January 2020 and December 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network reported approximately $312 billion in suspicious transactions linked to Chinese money laundering networks, which facilitate illicit financial flows for drug cartels, human trafficking, and fraud schemes. Among the suspicious activity, 108 Bank Secrecy Act filings involved elder abuse, and 43 reports identified $766 million in transactions tied to adult and senior day care centers in New York. These networks operate through multiple channels including real estate transactions ($53.7 billion across 17,389 filings), trade-based money laundering, money mule schemes, and the recruitment of compl
newspeakonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian man, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for operating a romance scam targeting American citizens between July 2017 and December 2018, which defrauded victims of over $405,000. Inweregbu and his co-conspirators posed as "Larry Pham" on online platforms, cultivated fake romantic relationships with victims, then requested money under false pretexts while laundering the proceeds through domestic bank accounts. He faces up to 20 years in prison upon sentencing scheduled for December 4, 2025, and is subject to fines up to $250
nigerianbulletin.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian man, pleaded guilty to romance scam fraud charges in the U.S. after defrauding multiple American citizens of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018 using fake profiles and aliases. He also pleaded guilty to money laundering and faces up to 20 years in prison, marking his second conviction for similar emotional deception fraud.
arise.tv
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian man, pleaded guilty to romance scam fraud charges for his role in a scheme that defrauded American citizens of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. He and his co-conspirators used online platforms to pose as "Larry Pham," building fake romantic relationships with victims before requesting money under false pretenses and laundering the proceeds through intermediaries. Inweregbu faces up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $750,000 total upon sentencing scheduled for December 4, 2025, and this is his second conviction for romance fraud.
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2025, to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering for operating a romance scam that defrauded American women of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. Using the fake persona "Larry Pham," Inweregbu and his co-conspirators targeted middle-aged female victims on dating sites and social media, cultivating fake romantic relationships to extract money through various pretexts before laundering the proceeds through intermediaries. He faces up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $
channelstv.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, pled guilty on August 21, 2025, to orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded American victims of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created fake online dating profiles under the alias "Larry Pham" to build romantic relationships with middle-aged women, then requested money under various pretexts and laundered the proceeds through intermediaries. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of two counts, plus fines and mandatory fees, with sentencing scheduled for December 4,
ripplesnigeria.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to operating a romance scam that defrauded multiple American women of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created fake social media profiles under the alias "Larry Pham" to build romantic relationships with middle-aged female victims, then solicited money under false pretenses and laundered the proceeds through intermediary accounts. He faces up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines upon sentencing in December 2025.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal prosecutors in Southern California charged 28 members of a Chinese organized crime ring with defrauding seniors out of $65 million since at least 2019, with the scheme involving overseas call centers in India and U.S.-based conspirators who posed as government officials and bank representatives to pressure victims into sending money via wire transfer, cash, or gift cards. The operation targeted thousands of Americans, including a 97-year-old San Diego widow who lost her entire life savings, and laundered proceeds through luxury vehicles and high-end rentals until federal agents seized $4.2 million and multiple vehicles including a Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. The breakthrough came partly from YouTube scam
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scott Kelley, a 51-year-old former U.S. Postal Inspector in Massachusetts, was indicted on 45 counts for stealing over $330,000 in cash from nearly 1,950 packages mailed by elderly victims between January 2019 and August 2023, with seven identified victims averaging 75 years old who mailed between $1,400 and $19,100 each. Kelley, who previously led the Mail Fraud Unit investigating scams targeting seniors, used postal employees to intercept packages, stole cash from an evidence locker, and laundered the money on personal expenses including pool upgrades, Caribbean cruises, and escort services while filing
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Scott Kelley, a 51-year-old former US Postal Inspection Service team leader who oversaw the Mail Fraud Unit from 2015-2023, was indicted on 45 counts for stealing more than $330,000 from packages sent by elderly scam victims (average age 75) and using the funds for personal expenses including home renovations, escorts, and vacations. Kelley allegedly manipulated postal workers into intercepting approximately 1,950 packages flagged as belonging to lottery scam victims, then laundered the stolen cash through money orders and multiple bank deposits while never returning any funds to the victims. He faces up to 20 years in prison on
shorenewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scott Kelley, a 51-year-old former team leader at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston, was indicted on 45 federal counts for intercepting nearly 2,000 packages containing over $330,000 in cash from elderly victims (mostly in their 70s and 80s) of Jamaican lottery scams between 2019 and August 2023. Kelley used his position to redirect flagged parcels to himself, opened them without authorization, and spent the stolen money on luxury items including home improvements, cruises, and escorts, while laundering the funds through money orders and structured bank deposits. He faces charges including mail
masslive.com
· 2025-12-08
A former U.S. Postal Inspector in Massachusetts was indicted on 45 counts for stealing over $330,000 in cash from nearly 1,950 packages mailed by elderly victims (average age 75) who had been duped by lottery scams originating in Jamaica. Scott Kelley used his position as Mail Fraud Unit team leader to intercept packages containing $1,400 to $19,100 in cash each, launder the proceeds through home improvements and personal expenses, and falsely blame a subordinate for theft from an evidence locker. He pleaded not guilty and was released on $25,000 bond.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scott Kelley, a 51-year-old former U.S. Postal Inspection Service team leader who oversaw the Mail Fraud Unit, was charged with stealing over $330,000 from packages sent by elderly scam victims (averaging age 75) and laundering the money for personal use including home renovations, vacations, and escort services. Between 2019 and 2023, Kelley allegedly deceived postal employees into intercepting approximately 1,950 packages from victims of a Jamaican lottery scam, opened them without authorization, and stole the cash inside—none of which was recovered by the victims. Kelley faces up to 20 years
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Singaporean woman in her 40s named Sabrina lost $250,000 to scammers impersonating Shanghai police officers who claimed she was involved in a money laundering scheme and threatened her with arrest and deportation to China. Despite her bank accounts being frozen and Singapore police warning her of the scam, she persisted in withdrawing her life savings and handed the cash to a stranger at a park; Singapore police recovered the money two weeks later. Government official impersonation scams surged dramatically in the first half of 2025, with victims losing $126.5 million compared to $67.2 million in the same period of 2024.
tampafp.com
· 2025-12-08
**Scam Type:** Mail interception fraud and money laundering related to Jamaican lottery scheme targeting elderly victims
**What Happened:** Former U.S. Postal Inspector Scott Kelley, 51, was arrested and indicted on 45 counts for allegedly stealing over $330,000 in cash from approximately 1,950 packages sent by elderly victims of a Jamaican telemarketing scam between 2019-2023. Kelley, who led the Mail Fraud Unit tasked with investigating scams targeting seniors, allegedly used his position to intercept victim mail, launder proceeds through money orders and multiple bank deposits, steal $7,000
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Former U.S. Postal Inspector Scott Kelley, 51, of Massachusetts, was indicted on 45 counts for stealing over $330,000 in cash from packages mailed by elderly victims of a Jamaican lottery telemarketing scam between 2019 and 2023. Kelley, who led the Mail Fraud Unit investigating senior citizen scams, used his position to intercept approximately 1,950 flagged packages, launder the proceeds through money orders and multiple bank accounts, and even framed a subordinate for a separate $7,000 evidence locker theft. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each wire fraud and mail frau
koreatimes.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
South Korea launched a five-month nationwide crackdown on phishing crimes beginning in August, following a 95% year-over-year surge in losses to 799.2 billion won ($575 million) across 16,561 cases in the first seven months of the year. Criminal tactics have become increasingly sophisticated, targeting victims through investment fraud (343.8 billion won in losses), romance scams (70.5 billion won), and fake e-commerce schemes, with perpetrators using mass texts, fake identities, and impersonations to create urgency and steal personal data. The police response includes over 400 officers in newly formed special units across multiple provinces, targeting not only ph
gulfnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 49-year-old pharmaceutical business owner in Kochi lost ₹247.6 million ($3 million) between March 2023 and August 2025 in an online trading fraud, where a Telegram contact named Daniel lured him with promises of high returns through a fake trading platform (wwwl.capitalix.com) that displayed inflated profits to encourage larger deposits. The victim discovered the scam only when attempting to withdraw funds and was denied access; police registered an FIR and believe the operation was run by an international syndicate, with investigations ongoing to trace the money trail across multiple bank accounts and coordinate with global agencies.
aba.com
· 2025-12-07
I cannot provide a summary of this content. What you've shared appears to be a navigation menu or table of contents from a banking industry website (likely the American Bankers Association), not an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse.
To help you with the Elderus database, please provide an actual article or transcript about:
- A specific scam or fraud case
- Elder abuse incidents
- Fraud prevention advice or research findings
- Consumer warnings about fraudulent schemes
Once you share the actual article content, I'll be happy to summarize it according to the guidelines you've outlined.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Two Chinese nationals, Yushan Lin and Shuyi Xing, pleaded guilty to defrauding Apple Inc. of at least $16.2 million through a scheme involving the fraudulent return of counterfeit iPhones, iPads, and other devices smuggled from China using serial numbers of genuine Apple products. Xing also pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy related to over $1 million laundered from elder fraud schemes, making him part of a six-defendant operation that operated across Southern California from December 2015 to March 2024.
brooklyneagle.com
· 2025-12-07
Two New Jersey brothers, Abhishek and Tushar Barvalia, were indicted for allegedly defrauding four elderly women aged 76 to 90 out of approximately $400,000 between June 2023 and January 2024. The defendants impersonated government agents, FBI officials, and bank representatives to convince victims their accounts were compromised, instructing them to withdraw funds and transfer money to accounts the perpetrators controlled. The victims, located in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and Connecticut, were told to keep the transactions confidential, and a total of over $393,000 was stolen through cashier's checks and wire transfers.
patch.com
· 2025-12-07
Two Chinese nationals from Corona, California pleaded guilty to a $16.2 million Apple device fraud scheme in which counterfeit iPhones and iPads were exchanged for genuine devices at Apple stores across Southern California using cloned serial numbers, then resold for profit primarily in China. Yushan Lin and Shuyi Xing, along with four other co-conspirators, exploited Apple's warranty program by visiting multiple retail locations and deceiving the company into replacing counterfeit devices with authentic ones. Additionally, Xing pleaded guilty to laundering over $1 million from elder fraud schemes in a separate money laundering operation.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Antonio Peña and Brandi Durst were indicted in August 2025 for operating a "gold bar scam" that defrauded senior victims across the United States between April 2024 and July 2025. The defendants posed as Federal Reserve agents and government officials, convincing elderly victims to liquidate retirement funds to purchase gold under the false premise of protecting assets from identity theft, then stole the gold and laundered the proceeds. Both face up to 40 years in prison, fines, and restitution if convicted.
trmlabs.com
· 2025-12-07
This resource is a law enforcement guide for investigating cryptocurrency-enabled scams, which have caused at least $53 billion in losses since 2023, with figures likely underreported due to delayed victim reporting. The guide provides investigators with essential terminology, investigation methodologies, and blockchain forensics techniques to trace fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions and identify the real-world controllers behind pseudonymous addresses. It serves as a practical manual for police and law enforcement professionals to understand and combat crypto-related investment scams, phishing schemes, and other cryptocurrency fraud.
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-07
A 59-year-old homemaker in Mattancherry lost ₹2.88 crore in a "virtual arrest" scam in which fraudsters, posing as Mumbai police officers, accused her of money laundering and convinced her she was under "virtual arrest" and subjected to a "virtual trial." The victim transferred the money in multiple installments after being threatened and instructed to keep the matter secret, only discovering the fraud when she sought a police clearance certificate.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
Social Security scams surged 46% in 2024, resulting in $4.885 billion in losses and disproportionately affecting retirees who were pressured through fake government alerts to transfer funds or deposit cash into ATMs or cryptocurrency accounts. The FBI and FTC reported that fraud losses for those aged 60+ skyrocketed from $122 million in 2020 to $700 million in 2024, with significant regional impacts such as $99.8 million in losses in Massachusetts alone. To protect themselves, retirees are advised to adopt strategic diversification, use Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, implement fraud detection technology, maintain social networks, and work with
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
A 62-year-old retired government employee in Visakhapatnam lost over Rs 2.5 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officials called him claiming his Aadhaar was linked to money laundering and threatened him with arrest warrants. The victim transferred all his savings following the scammers' instructions before discovering the fraud through reading about similar cases and reporting it to cyber crime police. Police note that senior citizens are increasingly targeted in digital arrest scams, with many victims reluctant to report due to shame or lack of awareness.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-07
North Yorkshire Police warned of a surge in social media job scams, receiving 40 reports over six months targeting young people as young as 15. The scams involve fraudsters posing as TikTok HR representatives offering payment for liking or sharing content, then directing victims to suspicious links and requesting money with promises of refunds that never materialize. Police cautioned that these schemes constitute money mule networks and criminal activity that can result in closed bank accounts.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
A 62-year-old retired government employee in Visakhapatnam lost over Rs 2.5 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officials claimed his Aadhaar card was linked to money laundering and threatened him with arrest warrants and imprisonment. The victim transferred his entire savings under duress before realizing the deception after reading about similar scams. Police report that senior citizens are increasingly targeted in digital arrest fraud schemes across the state, with many victims failing to report due to shame, fear, or lack of awareness.
home.treasury.gov
· 2025-12-07
In 2024, Americans lost over $10 billion to Southeast Asia-based cyber scams operated by transnational criminal organizations, representing a 66 percent increase from the prior year. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 19 scam centers across Burma and Cambodia that used forced labor, debt bondage, and violence to coerce workers into conducting romance and virtual currency investment scams targeting American victims. These operations typically lure victims with promises of romantic relationships or investment opportunities, then steal funds deposited on fraudulent platforms designed to mimic legitimate investment sites.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Shengsheng He, a California man and co-owner of the Bahamas-based Axis Digital Limited, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for his role in an international digital asset investment scam that defrauded U.S. victims of more than $36.9 million. The conspiracy involved overseas scammers contacting victims through unsolicited social media and dating apps to solicit fraudulent digital asset investments, with stolen funds laundered through shell companies, international banks, and digital asset wallets connected to scam centers in Cambodia. He was ordered to pay $26,867,242.44 in restitution, and eight co-conspirators have ple
jsonline.com
· 2025-12-07
Ankurkumar Patel, a 41-year-old Brookfield man, was indicted for operating a "Phantom Hacker Scam" that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states of over $1 million. The scheme involved fraudsters posing as customer service agents or law enforcement officers who convinced victims their accounts were compromised, then directed them to transfer cash or gold to supposedly safe accounts before the funds were laundered through co-conspirators. Patel faces up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines if convicted of money laundering conspiracy and substantive money laundering charges.