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09/25/2022

“Grandparent” Scam Resulted in Loss of More Than $3 Million

The Financial

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

“Ulysee’s crimes are truly outrageous.  Not only did he facilitate the deception and financial destruction of caring elderly victims by taking advantage of their love for their grandchildren, but he also used the identities of multiple victims to live large on federal CARES Act funding intended to ease financial hardships during a national crisis,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron.  “I hope this conviction helps inform our elderly neighbors and their caretakers of the common grandparent scam.  Remember- don’t panic, take the time to verify.”

According to his guilty plea, from January 2018 to November 2019, Ulysse and others executed grandparent scams in which they persuaded elderly victims to send thousands of dollars in cash by posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other person in law enforcement and convincing victims that their grandchild needed money for bail or legal fees.  If the victims complied, conspiracy members asked for more cash claiming that additional funds were needed for legal expenses, fines, or damages.  Conspirators also pretended to be the troubled relative on these phone calls to convince the elderly victims to send cash.  Further, during the calls, conspirators directed the victims to send cash to particular addresses.  To conceal the scheme, the conspirators told the victims that a gag order had been placed on the case or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild, and that the victim should not share the information with others.

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