Puerto Rico’s Financial Crime Wave: Eight Indicted for Bank Fraud and Elderly Exploitation
In a startling turn of events, eight individuals have been indicted for their roles in a fraudulent scheme targeting mainly elderly customers of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are spearheading the investigation.
False Pretenses and Stolen Information
A federal grand jury handed down a 40-count superseding indictment against the following individuals:
- Ángel De La Rosa, a.k.a. “Julio Zapata”
- Raisa Raymundo-Vargas, a.k.a. “Oleidy”
- Adonis Marquez-Marte
- Josué Figueroa-López, a.k.a. “Pachin”
- Mirkin Espinosa-Salvador, a.k.a. “José Mesa”
- Jan González-López
- Nicole Figueroa-De Jesús
- Edwin Peña-Valdez, a.k.a. “Pajarito”
posing as federal agents or bank officials, they visited the homes of account holders under false pretenses, claiming that their bank accounts had been compromised. They asked victims for their ATM debit cards and PIN numbers, allegedly to help restore account security. Once in possession of the debit cards, De La Rosa and his accomplices traveled to various US Post Offices to purchase Postal Money Orders using the stolen card information. The postal orders were later exchanged for cash.
High-Value Purchases and Money Laundering
The defendants, including De La Rosa and Marquez-Marte, used the ill-gotten gains for high-value jewelry purchases in New York and to establish a jewelry business in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This operation served as a front for money laundering.
The Importance of Safeguarding Personal Information
- United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow: “This is a clear attempt to prey upon the most vulnerable members of our community. We remain committed to bringing those responsible for elder fraud to justice.”
- Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, Joseph González: “Elder fraud is a sophisticated endeavor, and it can happen to anyone. Many victims keep their losses a secret out of shame or fear, but that silence only empowers perpetrators. We ask anyone who has been a victim or a witness to such a scheme to break the silence and contact the FBI at 787-987-6500 or visit Tips.FBI.gov.”
- Acting Inspector in Charge of the US Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division, Juan A. Vargas: “Protecting our elderly population from criminals who exploit them is a top priority for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. We vow to work tirelessly to put an end to financial crimes targeting the elderly in our society.”
Penalties and Preventative Measures
- These suspects face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a minimum consecutive sentence of two years for the aggravated identity theft charges.
- Their illicit proceeds of over $600,000 are subject to criminal forfeiture and include a vehicle.
- Convicted defendants would be sentenced by a federal district court judge based on the U.S Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.
- The public is encouraged to take preventative measures against identity theft by visiting the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
An Allegation, Not a Conviction
It is important to remember that an indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.