A federal jury in North Carolina has convicted a man for leading a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly victims in the United States
Roger Roger, 40, of Costa Rica, faces a long sentence for leading the $4 million scam.
The scheme, which lasted for years, involved calling victims, many of whom were elderly, from a call center in Costa Rica and convincing them they had won a large sweepstakes prize.
The Operation
According to court documents and trial evidence, Roger and his co-conspirators posed as US government officials when contacting victims. They falsely informed victims they had won a substantial sweepstakes prize and needed to make up-front payments to cover fees like taxes and customs duties.
To make the operation more convincing, the conspirators used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. This made which made it appear as though the calls were coming from locations like Washington, DC.
Roger himself made calls to victims, using fake names and documents to back up the scam.
He also recruited others to assist in deceiving victims and transferring the stolen money from the US to Costa Rica. In total, Roger and his team stole over $4 million from their victims.
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
Convicted on Multiple Charges
Roger was found guilty of the following charges:
- Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud
- Four counts of wire fraud
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering
- Two counts of international money laundering
The jury determined the telemarketing scam victimized at least 10 individuals over the age of 55. This means Roger faces up to 25 years in prison for each mail and wire fraud count. Additionally, he faces up to 20 years for each money laundering-related count. His sentencing will take place at a later date, with a federal judge considering the US Sentencing Guidelines before issuing a final sentence.
Investigation and Arrest
The case was investigated by several U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Atlanta Division, the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cincinnati Field Office, and the FBI Charlotte Field Office. Assistance was also provided by the La Grande, Oregon Police Department and Union County District Attorney Victim Assistance Office.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with law enforcement in Costa Rica to secure Roger’s arrest and extradition to the U.S.
