Robert Louis Sanchez, a 57-year-old man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, became the fifth defendant sentenced in a sprawling “grandparent scam” that targeted victims across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky.
The scam, operating from August 2020 to May 2021, involved Canadian-based call centers contacting victims, often posing as distressed grandchildren in need of immediate financial assistance due to legal trouble or medical emergencies. The callers would then pressure victims to send money quickly, often through wire transfers or money services.
According to court documents and his plea agreement, Sanchez played a dual role in the scheme. He acted as a courier, transporting cash obtained from victims, and sometimes served as a “safehouse” to hold the stolen money.
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Sanchez pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in April 2024. He was sentenced last week to 1 year and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Bennett stated, “This case highlights the disturbing lengths criminals go to exploit vulnerable victims. We are committed to dismantling these scams and holding those responsible accountable for their actions.”
The investigation into the grandparent scam is ongoing. Authorities believe hundreds of victims across the country lost a total exceeding $3 million.
Four other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas and have been sentenced in the case.
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Jairo Ostia Roberts, 44, who traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on March 9, 2023, to 6 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy. Roberts was removed to Panama upon his release from U.S. Bureau of Prisons custody.
Panama Abel Diaz Adames, 39, who also traveled from Panama to the United States to act as a courier in the scheme, was sentenced on April 4, 2024, to 1 year and 4 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy.
Christopher Courcoulacos, 46, a Canadian citizen who had been residing in Panama, was considered a “manager or supervisor” within the conspiracy, and was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for wire fraud conspiracy.
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Mark Anthony Phillips, 44, of Ruskin, Florida, was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 6 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charged in the Western District of Kentucky, as well as pleading guilty to five additional money laundering counts, originally charged in the Western District of New York, which were transferred to Kentucky for guilty pleas and sentencing.
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