Roger Roger, 40, of Costa Rica, was convicted for orchestrating a large-scale telemarketing fraud scheme that defrauded victims in the United States. The scheme involved co-conspirators who falsely posed as U.S. government officials and contacted victims, many of whom were elderly, claiming they had won substantial sweepstakes prizes. To collect their supposed winnings, the victims were instructed to make upfront payments for various fees, including taxes and customs duties, which were never owed.
The fraudsters used technology to conceal their true identities, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to make it appear as though the calls were coming from within the U.S. Roger personally called victims from Costa Rica, using fake names and documents to convince them they had won. He also recruited and directed others to mislead the victims and transfer their payments to Costa Rica.
The fraudulent operation led to over $4 million in stolen funds. Roger was convicted on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, and international money laundering. The jury determined that the scheme targeted elderly victims, which carries a harsher penalty under the law.
Roger faces up to 25 years in prison for each of the wire fraud and conspiracy counts, as well as up to 20 years for each of the money laundering counts. The case highlights the growing concern over telemarketing fraud targeting older individuals and the international collaboration needed to bring such criminals to justice. Roger’s sentencing will take place at a later date.
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