A Hartford man was indicted on Thursday in a scheme to defraud elderly people in Wisconsin out of more than $200k.
Matthew Ramos-Soto, 26, is accused of conspiring with others to contact elderly individuals by phone to tell them that a relative had been arrested and was in need of money for bail. He and others then traveled around Wisconsin to pick up cash in person from victims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Over the course of five days in October of 2022, Ramos-Soto and others are accused of impersonating attorneys or judges to extort thousands from a number of people, providing fake case numbers and alleging the relative was under a “gag order” and could face additional penalties if they answered questions.
The court is using information from three specific instances in the prosecution, in which victims handed over between $5,000-$17,000 in cash.
Additional conspirators were not named by the court as of Friday.
If Ramos-Soto is convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. No court date has been set.
Authorities in the case are reminding people, and especially the elderly, to be wary of schemes like this.
“Elder fraud is a serious crime,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle in a statement. “Many of our senior citizens are targeted by unscrupulous individuals seeking to exploit their vulnerabilities, taking advantage of their trust, and causing significant financial and emotional harm.”
“Unfortunately, scams targeting the elderly or vulnerable are proliferating,” said U.S. Attorney for Wisconsin’s Western District Thomas O’Shea. If someone demands money over the phone or internet, always reach out to a trusted advisor, law enforcement agency, or the fraud hotlines…”
The National Elder Fraud hotline is operated by the U.S. Department of Justice which can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Connecticut operates its own hotline through the Attorney General’s Office with the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut. It can be reached at 1-860-808-5555.
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