A man from New York has pleaded guilty to taking advantage of vulnerable seniors to benefit financially.
Victor Anthony Valdez of the Bronx, New York, entered the guilty plea in the District of New Jersey for his part in an international scheme to steal money from the pockets of senior citizens.
He played the part of a courier for an international “grandparent scam” based in the Dominican Republic that targeted elderly Americans. At the time of the scam, he was an employee of the Social Security Administration, New York Region.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the Valdez case.
“The defendant admitted today to his role in a scam targeting vulnerable seniors,” said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “The defendant and his co-conspirators took advantage of grandparents’ love and concern for their grandchildren they believed to be in trouble, convincing them to pay thousands of dollars.”
Brox resident pleads guilty to swindling elderly Americans
In his guilty plea, Valdez raised his hands to the part he played as a courier from August 2020 to August 2021.
Valdez is alleged to have “retrieved or attempted to retrieve, tens of thousands of dollars from defrauded victims at their homes in New York and New Jersey,” said the court report.
He entered the guilty plea before the Honorable Claire C. Cecchi of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. As part of his scheduling for the count of wire fraud, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
“Mr. Valdez intentionally conspired to defraud the elderly of their money and property through a cruel, international grandparent scam,” said Acting Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware of the Social Security Administration.
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