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Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Peruvian national sentenced for defrauding Spanish-speaking immigrants in transnational scheme

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Lisa O. Monaco Deputy Attorney General | Official Website

A Peruvian national, Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano, has been sentenced to 98 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $700,000 in restitution for his involvement in a transnational fraud scheme. The scheme targeted over 1,100 Spanish-speaking immigrants in the United States.

Zuñiga operated a call center in Lima that defrauded U.S. residents by falsely threatening them with legal and immigration consequences. He was extradited from Peru in March and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in July.

Zuñiga admitted that his call center made unsolicited calls claiming victims had won free products like computer tablets and English courses. Later, they were told they owed money for these products. Zuñiga's team impersonated officials to intimidate victims into paying.

Victims who paid were often re-targeted with false promises of restitution if they paid additional fees. No funds were returned; instead, Zuñiga kept the payments.

Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department emphasized their commitment to protecting vulnerable consumers: “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch is dedicated to protecting vulnerable U.S. consumers from fraudsters no matter where those fraudsters reside.”

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe highlighted the reach of American justice: “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”

Inspector Juan A. Vargas praised the collaboration between agencies: “Today’s sentencing...is proof of the dedication between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office."

This case is part of a larger investigation involving a $15 million scheme affecting over 30,000 Spanish-speaking U.S. residents. Twelve defendants have been convicted so far, including eight Peruvian call center operators.

The investigation involved multiple agencies including USPIS and international partners such as Peru's National Prosecutor General's Office.

The Justice Department continues its efforts against similar threats targeting Spanish-speaking communities in the U.S., offering resources like a hotline for elder fraud victims at 1-833-FRAUD-11.

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