Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
6,244 results
in Financial Crime
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational presentation by DeMotte police on January 8 covering elder financial abuse, which costs seniors over $3 billion annually with more than 13% of American elders victimized yearly. The presentation outlined eleven common scam types targeting seniors (including grandparent scams, charity fraud, identity theft, and tech support scams), noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women living alone, face the highest risk and that underreporting remains severe due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Key protective measures include monthly financial monitoring, verifying requests by calling contacts directly, reporting fraud to the FTC, and consulting trusted advisors before financial decisions.
tcpalm.com
· 2025-12-08
Two individuals were arrested as "couriers" in gold bar scams that defrauded at least three Indian River Shores residents of nearly $2 million in early 2024. The scams involved fake government officials calling victims and instructing them to purchase gold bars, which couriers then collected in person; one 77-year-old woman lost $156,000 across two separate meetings, handing over gold bars worth approximately $72,904 and $83,000. Rakeshbhai Harshadbhai Patel, 35, was arrested in January 2025, and Syed Makki, 36, was arrested in Colorado and awaits ext
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Shi Gang Zheng, a 55-year-old Chinese national illegally residing in New Orleans, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on January 16, 2025, for bankruptcy fraud, drug distribution, and illegal firearm possession. In a 2018 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, Zheng falsely stated he owned no firearms or significant assets, but investigators discovered unreported assets including numerous firearms; a 2023 law enforcement search also recovered approximately 51 kilograms of marijuana from his vehicle and residence. As an undocumented immigrant, Zheng was prohibited from possessing firearms, and he was required to pay a $300 special assessment and complete three years
news.outsourceaccelerator.com
· 2025-12-08
Three individuals—two executives from a Cebu-based BPO company (Innocentrix Philippines) and their U.S. associate—were arrested in December 2024 for operating a $44 million book publishing scam that defrauded over 800 elderly authors between 2017 and 2024. The scheme used PageTurner Press and Media LLC as a front company, falsely promising to adapt victims' books into Hollywood films or television series while collecting upfront fees for nonexistent services. The defendants face charges of mail and wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, each carrying potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Chicago-area residents involved in a romance scam network that bilked victims of over $3.5 million were sentenced, with one receiving probation and two receiving 10 and 20-year prison sentences respectively. The case centered on 57-year-old Laura Kowal from Illinois, who sent nearly $2 million to a fraudulent online persona called "Frank Borg" over almost two years before her death; the scammers, based in West Africa, used the defendants as "money mules" to launder the stolen funds. The sentencing highlighted the growing use of accomplices to facilitate romance scams and the devastating impact on victims and their families.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman lost €830,000 to Nigerian scammers who used AI-generated photos to impersonate actor Brad Pitt and convince her they were in a romantic relationship, claiming the actor needed money for medical treatment. The case highlights how Nigerian internet fraudsters, known as "Yahoo Boys," are adopting AI and deepfake technology to conduct romance scams, a tactic experts warn could significantly increase the effectiveness and prevalence of such fraud schemes.
mondaq.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud—where scammers impersonate celebrities or create fake identities to build trust with victims before demanding money—is a rapidly growing crime, with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau reporting 8,792 cases and losses exceeding £94.7 million in the past year. A notable case involved a 53-year-old French woman defrauded of £700,000 over 18 months by someone posing as Brad Pitt, with fraudsters typically spending about a year building trust before requesting funds through pretexts like medical emergencies or investment opportunities. Authorities note that romance fraud is heavily under-reported due to victim shame, though early reporting without alert
edmondlifeandleisure.com
· 2025-12-08
**Title:** Get Ready for Scams in the Digital Age
Adults aged 60 and older reported over 100,000 complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2023, resulting in losses exceeding $3.4 billion—an 11% increase from 2022. Common scams targeting seniors include phishing, Medicare and health insurance fraud, and tech support scams. Protection strategies include staying skeptical of unexpected communications, avoiding sharing personal information online, monitoring finances for unauthorized activity, and reporting suspected fraud immediately to relevant authorities including the FTC, Medicare, or financial institutions.
govtech.com
· 2025-12-08
State Rep. Chris Pielli and the Housing Authority of Chester County hosted an educational "Scam Jam" program featuring experts from law enforcement and banking agencies to inform residents about common fraud schemes targeting seniors. The program highlighted various scams including grandparent scams using emotional manipulation and AI voice mimicry, elder financial abuse by caregivers, romance scams, and phishing schemes like fake EZ Pass notifications, emphasizing that scammers exploit social media information and that even intelligent people can be deceived.
salon.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is a political opinion piece criticizing Donald Trump's inauguration and the MAGA movement, not an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It contains political commentary about Trump's appearance, demeanor, and leadership style, but no information relevant to elder fraud research.
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS Criminal Investigation unit uncovered over $9.1 billion in tax fraud and financial crimes in 2024, with scams expected to peak during the 2025 tax-filing season. Common tactics include scammers impersonating IRS agents or tax preparers to claim taxpayers owe additional taxes or are due larger refunds, with threats of arrest or requests for bank details to steal information. Retired taxpayers and those nearing retirement are frequent targets, and experts recommend taking time to verify communications and avoiding pressure from scammers rather than responding immediately.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
An uptick in jury duty scams has been reported across multiple U.S. locations, where scammers impersonate court officials or police officers and threaten victims with fines or arrest for allegedly missing jury duty, demanding immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers. Incidents have been documented in Elkhart County, Indiana and Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with authorities emphasizing that legitimate courts communicate about jury duty through official mail only and never solicit payments or personal information by phone or email. Citizens should verify caller claims independently, avoid immediate payments, and report suspicious calls to local law enforcement or the court clerk's office.
mainstreetdailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the IRS reported $5.5 billion in losses to tax fraud schemes, with criminals exploiting online tax filing through various scams including tax avoidance promises, refund fraud, IRS impersonation threats, filing support fraud, social media schemes, and recovery scams targeting previous victims. The IRS advises taxpayers to file early, create verified accounts with Identity Protection PINs, wait for official mail before responding to any IRS communications, and practice strong cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information from increasingly sophisticated AI-enhanced scams.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
Three defendants were charged by federal grand jury for operating PageTurner, a fake book publishing scheme that defrauded over 800 elderly authors of approximately $44 million between September 2017 and December 2024. The scammers, including Gemma Traya Austin of Chula Vista and two Philippine-based executives, contacted victims unsolicited and falsely promised that their books would be published or turned into films if they paid upfront fees for taxes and transaction costs. All three defendants were arrested in December 2024 and face charges including mail and wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
gvwire.com
· 2025-12-08
A 24-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested after defrauding a 79-year-old Tulare woman of $9,600 in a grandparent scam, where he impersonated a bail bondsman claiming her grandson had been arrested. Detectives followed a courier to a restaurant in Castaic where the suspect, Manuel Rivera Cueto, was apprehended attempting to flee with money from a second extortion attempt; he admitted to acting as a "mule" in approximately 10 similar schemes and revealed the operation's main orchestrators were based in the Dominican Republic.
thewhistler.ng
· 2025-12-08
Oba Otudeko, chairman of Honeywell Group, along with a former First Bank Managing Director and others, faced arraignment before a Federal High Court in Lagos on charges of alleged N12.3 billion fraud involving money laundering and obtaining funds under false pretence between 2013 and 2014. The court hearing was adjourned until February 13, 2025, after defendants' lawyers protested that their clients had not been properly served the charges despite media announcements of the arraignment, with the prosecution stating they would proceed with substituted service at last known addresses.
koamnewsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
**Online Romance Scams Warning (January 20, 2025)**
The Better Business Bureau issued a warning to consumers about online romance scams. The alert advises awareness of this fraud scheme, though the article excerpt provided does not contain specific details about affected victims, dollar amounts, or particular incidents.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This article outlines seven AI-powered scams that are becoming increasingly difficult to detect: voice cloning, deepfake impersonation, investment fraud, phishing, romance scams, and others. The article explains how scammers use AI technology to create convincing fake voices, videos, and messages to manipulate victims into sending money, revealing personal data, or clicking malicious links. It provides practical prevention tips for each scam type, including verifying caller identities with security questions, scrutinizing video quality and facial movements in deepfakes, verifying investment advisors, and avoiding suspicious links and downloads.
newskarnataka.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old Bengaluru retiree lost ₹35.3 lakh to scammers impersonating income tax officials who called claiming he owed back taxes and threatened arrest. The fraudsters used fake documents, intimidation tactics, and threats involving his family to coerce him into transferring funds across multiple accounts before he discovered the deception. Bengaluru police advise citizens to verify official communications directly with authorities, avoid sharing personal information with callers, and report suspicious calls immediately, as this "digital arrest" scam represents an evolving cybercrime threat against older adults.
island.lk
· 2025-12-08
Sri Lanka's Computer Emergency Response Team warned the public about fraudulent text messages and phone calls falsely offering money, gifts, prizes, discounts, and job opportunities designed to trick victims into sharing personal information that could lead to financial fraud or identity theft. The agency urged recipients to verify authenticity and avoid engaging with suspicious messages, and encouraged reporting of fraudulent activity.
(Note: The second article about University of Peradeniya flooding is not elder fraud-related and falls outside the scope of Elderus database summarization.)
island.lk
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in Sri Lanka are sending fraudulent text messages and making phone calls claiming to offer cash prizes, gifts, discounts, or job opportunities to trick victims into sharing personal information that could lead to financial fraud or identity theft. The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team urges the public to verify authenticity of such claims, avoid engaging with suspicious messages, and report fraudulent activity to authorities.
indeonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Weight loss product scams exploit New Year's resolutions by making false promises of rapid fat loss through vitamins, supplements, and dubious products like body wraps and skin patches, often using fake celebrity endorsements and fabricated "Shark Tank" claims. Consumers should avoid products claiming miraculous results without diet or exercise, verify ingredients with the FDA, research companies before purchasing, and be cautious of free trial offers that may result in unauthorized charges or difficult refund policies. The article advises checking for red flags such as missing ingredient lists, unsubstantiated testimonials, and subscription traps that lock consumers into recurring charges.
androidpolice.com
· 2025-12-08
AI technology is making scams increasingly convincing and harder to detect, with fraudsters using voice cloning, deepfakes, fake investment schemes, phishing emails, and romance scams to target victims. The article outlines seven types of AI-powered scams and provides prevention strategies, including verifying caller identities with security questions, scrutinizing deepfake videos for unnatural movements or audio-visual mismatches, consulting registered investment advisors, and avoiding clicking suspicious links or sharing sensitive information with unverified sources.
thefintechtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Revolut introduced an in-app calling feature for personal customers to combat impersonation scams, where fraudsters impersonate banks or trusted authorities. The feature creates a secure communication channel within the app that external parties cannot replicate, allowing customers to verify they are speaking with legitimate Revolut representatives. Impersonation scams among Revolut customers have declined to their lowest levels in nearly two years despite the company's user growth.
tampafp.com
· 2025-12-08
Jessica Russell, 42, of Barre, Vermont, pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025, to two counts of wire fraud for defrauding an elderly Vermont resident of more than $84,000. Russell gained the victim's trust by posing as a sympathetic friend after the victim's son died, obtained power of attorney, and then used funds from the victim's home sale to purchase a house ($68,000) and a vehicle ($16,000) that she fraudulently registered in her own name. Russell faces sentencing on June 12, 2025, where she may receive prison time, fines, and restitution payments.
thenationalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old man in Dubai lost Dh2,300 ($626) within minutes after clicking a phishing email impersonating Dewa (Dubai's utility authority) that promised a water bill refund. The scammer obtained his debit card details through the fraudulent link, and despite reporting the fraud to RAKBank and Mastercard, the victim was unable to recover the funds because he had authorized the transaction. The incident illustrates the growing sophistication of cyber fraud targeting UAE residents, with global online fraud expected to reach $13.82 trillion by 2028.
cgsentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued an alert warning residents about an impersonation scam in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement and claim victims have arrest warrants or missed jury duty, demanding money or gift cards as "bail" while creating false urgency to pressure quick payment. Legitimate law enforcement never demands payment over the phone to resolve legal matters. Victims should hang up immediately and can verify caller information by contacting the sheriff's dispatch center at 541-440-4471 or report the scam to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392.
oaoa.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the IRS reported $5.5 billion lost to tax fraud schemes, with criminals employing increasingly sophisticated tactics including tax avoidance scams, refund fraud, IRS impersonation, filing support scams, and recovery scams targeting vulnerable victims. The IRS warns taxpayers to watch for red flags such as unsolicited contact, promises of large payouts, requests for account information, threats, and suspicious links, and recommends filing early, setting up verified IRS accounts with Identity Protection PINs, waiting for official mail notifications, and practicing strong cybersecurity habits to prevent fraud.
goodmenproject.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses elder abuse protections across the United States, highlighting that the elderly population is projected to nearly double from 49 million to 95 million by 2060, making protective measures increasingly urgent. States like Wisconsin, Vermont, and Massachusetts rank highest in elder abuse prevention due to strong funding and robust regulations, while rural states such as South Carolina, Utah, and South Dakota lag significantly due to policy gaps and insufficient resources. Financial fraud is identified as a prevalent form of elder abuse affecting elderly individuals, with states offering stronger safeguards—such as ombudsman services and elder care organizations—demonstrating lower average financial losses per fraud case.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French interior designer lost approximately Rs 7.5 crore in a romance scam involving fake accounts impersonating Brad Pitt and his mother, exploiting her emotional vulnerability during an ongoing divorce. The scammers used AI-generated videos and messages to build trust, then fabricated stories about customs fees, medical emergencies, and frozen bank accounts to extract money before she discovered the deception through real celebrity photos. This case reflects a rising trend of sophisticated romance scams targeting celebrity-obsessed individuals, with similar Brad Pitt impersonation schemes reported across Europe.
iomtoday.co.im
· 2025-12-08
An Isle of Man Bank customer lost nearly £200,000 after fraudsters impersonated the bank's fraud team and convinced the victim to purchase gold and send it via mail to London; the scam succeeded because it coincided with the customer's genuine card problems, making the call seem legitimate. The Cyber Security Centre's report for late 2024 also documented additional fraud cases including a £200,000 cryptocurrency scam, sextortion attempts, smishing schemes, and fake Facebook travel offers, with 2,721 suspicious emails reported to authorities and recommendations emphasizing independent verification and family communication about financial matters.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
"Brushing" scams involve criminals sending unexpected packages containing inexpensive items and QR codes to victims' addresses; when scanned, these codes direct recipients to fake websites designed to steal sensitive information like credit card numbers and Social Security numbers, or the packages are used to generate fake positive reviews for third-party sellers. Victims should avoid scanning QR codes, file fraud reports with retailers, monitor their credit reports, and update passwords if compromised. The scam puts recipients at risk of identity theft and reveals their personal information to criminals, even if they keep the free items.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old Vermont woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding an elderly victim of over $84,000 by building a false friendship, obtaining power of attorney, and misappropriating funds from the victim's home sale to purchase a house and vehicle in her own name. Russell used manipulation tactics including calling the victim "mom" and falsing claims about losing a child to gain the victim's trust as the victim's health declined. Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2025.
bostonglobe.com
· 2025-12-08
The Boston Globe is seeking stories from Massachusetts residents aged 65 and older who have been victims of financial fraud, particularly schemes involving fake online romances or cryptocurrency ATM deposits. The publication is collecting accounts directly from victims and their families to understand the impact of these scams and has established confidential reporting channels through data reporter Scooty Nickerson and journalist Adria Watson.
crimestoppers.ns.ca
· 2025-12-08
Halifax Regional Police are warning seniors about an ongoing bail bond scam in which callers impersonate family members claiming to be in jail and demand bail money, with suspects sometimes arranging in-person pickups at victims' homes. Police are seeking public assistance identifying a suspect described as a man aged 30-40 wearing black clothing and a mask, possibly traveling in a white SUV, and remind the public that law enforcement will never collect bail money in person and to hang up on such calls without providing financial information.
uexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Elderly homeowners, who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, are prime targets for financial exploitation, with older adults losing around $28.3 billion annually to fraud according to AARP, and banking institutions filing over 155,000 elder financial victimization reports in the 12-month period ending June 2023. Perpetrators range from family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases) to unscrupulous loan officers, contractors, and professionals who exploit seniors through reverse mortgages, fraudulent loans, and asset mismanagement. Family members and friends of elderly individuals should actively discuss financial decisions with seniors—particularly regarding home equity loans, reverse mortgages, an
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Former Rhode Island attorney Peter P.D. Leach was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for operating a Ponzi scheme in which he forged client signatures, misappropriated settlement funds for personal expenses, and deceived clients about case status and payment of their bills between 2014-2019. Leach was also convicted of tax evasion for concealing over $540,000 in cash withdrawals from his client trust account and making false statements to the IRS. He was ordered to pay $299,774.41 in restitution to defrauded clients and an additional $320,622.76 in back taxes to the IRS.
okcfriday.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece highlights the growing threat of digital-age scams targeting older adults, noting that adults aged 60+ filed over 100,000 complaints in 2023 resulting in losses exceeding $3.4 billion. The article identifies common scams including phishing, Medicare and health insurance fraud, and tech support scams, and recommends protective measures such as staying skeptical of unsolicited communications, never sharing personal information online, monitoring finances, and reporting suspected fraud to appropriate authorities including the FBI, FTC, and Medicare watchdog agency.
pasadenanow.com
· 2025-12-08
California's Insurance Commissioner and Los Angeles County District Attorney announced a joint initiative to combat insurance fraud targeting wildfire survivors, combining consumer education with enhanced prosecution efforts. The Department of Insurance has deployed teams to educate residents about their rights, verify contractor licenses, and enforce regulations including a mandatory seven-day waiting period before public adjusters can solicit business in disaster zones. Since 2019, the Department has distributed over $550 million statewide for fraud investigations and prosecutions, with free insurance support workshops being offered to help survivors understand claims processes and avoid common scams.
ein.az.gov
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned that scammers exploit disasters and mass casualty events—such as the New Orleans terrorist attack and Los Angeles wildfires—by impersonating charitable organizations and celebrities to solicit fraudulent donations, sometimes using AI to increase legitimacy. In 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 4,500 complaints reporting approximately $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities, crowdfunding accounts, and disaster relief campaigns. The FBI advises verifying charity legitimacy through official registries, being suspicious of urgent payment requests from unknown individuals, and avoiding unsolicited communications claiming to represent disaster victims.
geaugamapleleaf.com
· 2025-12-08
The Ohio Attorney General's Office provided guidance on recognizing common scams that disproportionately target seniors, who represent 15% of the population but account for more than 30% of reported fraud. Key red flags include requests for wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or immediate payment; unsolicited calls creating urgency or fear (such as impersonating the IRS or Social Security); phishing for personal information; and contractor scams requiring large upfront payments. The office recommends verifying caller identity independently, remembering that scammers can spoof phone numbers, and following the principle that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Truth Social has become a hub for online scams including phishing, advance fee fraud, romance scams, and cryptocurrency investment fraud, with security researchers receiving over 30 scam messages within hours of creating a test account. A Central European threat actor alone distributed over 500 phishing messages impersonating brands like Netflix and Spotify to steal login credentials since March 2024, while the platform's large interest-based groups (some with 100,000+ members) enable scammers to target victims at scale with upfront payment requests ranging from $250 to $1,000. Social media scams broadly have generated $2.7 billion in reported losses since 2021, according to the
wltx.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman lost her life savings of $850,000 to scammers posing as Brad Pitt through fake social media accounts, AI-generated images, and WhatsApp messages, who claimed the actor needed money for medical treatment. After revealing her story on French television, she faced severe online harassment and mockery, prompting the network to withdraw the interview to protect the vulnerable victim. The case illustrates how artificial intelligence has increased the sophistication of romance scams, with the FTC reporting over $1 billion in romance scam losses affecting 64,000 Americans in 2023 alone.
thewrap.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French interior designer lost $850,000 to a romance scammer who impersonated Brad Pitt, claiming frozen bank accounts and medical expenses over the course of a year-long online relationship. Brad Pitt responded by warning fans to avoid unsolicited online messages from celebrities and to recognize this as a common catfish scheme, noting this was not the first time he had been impersonated for such frauds.
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
A French woman lost $850,000 to romance scammers who used fake social media accounts, AI-generated images, and WhatsApp messages to impersonate Brad Pitt over more than a year, convincing her to transfer her life savings by claiming the actor needed money for medical treatment. Brad Pitt's representatives responded by warning fans not to engage with unsolicited online contact from celebrities, particularly those without legitimate social media presence. This scam is part of a broader trend of AI-enabled celebrity impersonation fraud targeting fans, with similar incidents previously affecting Spanish victims and other celebrities like Johnny Depp.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman was scammed out of approximately $850,000 by someone impersonating Brad Pitt in a romance scam that began in 2023 through Facebook and continued over several years. The scammer used AI-generated images, love poems, and false claims about needing money for cancer treatment and bank access issues to manipulate the victim into sending increasingly large sums, leading her to eventually divorce her husband. The case highlights the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud, with Brad Pitt's representatives warning the public not to respond to unsolicited celebrity contact, as the actor maintains no verified social media accounts.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Mark Steven Diamond, a Chicago businessman, was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for defrauding more than 100 elderly homeowners through a reverse mortgage and home repair scheme in which he tricked them into obtaining reverse mortgage loans and pocketed the proceeds without performing promised repairs. Diamond was ordered to pay $2.7 million in restitution, and four co-conspirators involved in originating loans and facilitating the fraud also pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
chulavistatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Three individuals—Gemma Traya Austin (Chula Vista), Michael Cris Traya Sordilla, and Bryan Navales Tarosa (Philippines)—were arrested and federally charged for orchestrating a publishing fraud scheme that defrauded over 800 senior authors of nearly $44 million between 2017 and 2024. Operating through PageTurner Press and Media LLC and Innocentrix Philippines, the defendants solicited victims with false promises of publishing deals and Hollywood film adaptations, then convinced them to pay upfront fees for taxes and processing that were never legitimate. All three face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering
local10.com
· 2025-12-08
A South Florida woman received a fraudulent letter claiming she inherited millions from a late relative and was instructed to pay taxes and delivery fees to claim it; approximately 400 victims lost roughly $6 million in this transnational inheritance scam. Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, identified as a member of the crime ring operating across the United Kingdom, Spain, Nigeria, and Portugal, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing on April 14. Six other co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with the scheme.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Clifton C. James, a 50-year-old New Orleans resident, pled guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud involving false statements to obtain an $86,800 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and stealing $149,900 from the Small Business Administration through a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan application, which he then laundered by purchasing an automobile. James also filed a false tax return claiming only $1.00 in income for 2019 and faces sentencing on April 23, 2025, with potential penalties including up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines per charge.