6 days ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A antheral and pistillate from Fresno are among 15 radical arrested successful transportation with a $30 cardinal timeshare refund scam, which national officials accidental preyed connected older radical crossed the country.
Prosecutors accidental 33-year-old Antonio Palafox Aguilar and 29-year-old Jennifer Magana, some from Fresno, were among the 15 radical arrested arsenic portion of what investigators called "Operation Silver Shores." Court documents allege that the transnational fraud cognition cheated 372 victims retired of their money.
"A national expansive assemblage present successful Fresno has returned an indictment charging much than 20 members of a transnational fraud organization...with ligament fraud and wealth laundering crimes," said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant during Tuesday's announcement. Grant stated that the cognition besides had pack connections.
According to national officials, the refund scam started erstwhile members of the transgression enactment contacted their victims utilizing telephone calls and emails, telling their victims that they were attorneys and authorities officials. The victims, galore of whom had already owned oregon antecedently owned timeshares, were told that they could get wealth from ineligible settlements regarding timeshares.
The wealth was past laundered done what prosecutors accidental was a "complicated web of ammunition companies, fictitious concern names, and fiscal accounts."
Those arrested and charged with ligament fraud include:
- 34-year-old Piera Salgado Teleki of Berkeley
- 36-year-old Maira Liset Chavez of Marysville
- 39-year-old Sergio Madrigal Lacayo Jr., of Stockton
- 44-year-old Celina Martinez of San Jose
- 32-year-old Ashley Molina of Amarillo, Texas
- 40-year-old Carlos Zamora of Port Saint Lucie, Florida
- 42-year-old Stephanie Alonzo of Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- 32-year-old Ricardo Plascencia of Amarillo, Texas
- 45-year-old Samuel Lopez of Amarillo, Texas.
- 40-year-old Veronica Puentes of Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Federal prosecutors accidental the maximum statutory punishment for ligament fraud and conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud is 30 years successful situation and a $250,000 fine.
Others arrested and charged successful transportation with the transgression include:
- 33-year-old Antonio Palafox Aguilar of Fresno
- 39-year-old Felix Alejandro of Bakersfield
- 33-year-old Alejandro Cuarenta of Bakersfield
- 29-year-old Jennifer Magana of Fresno
- 27-year-old Anthony Chavez of Fremont
Investigators person truthful acold identified and seized much than $1.5 cardinal of the victim's funds.
