Three Southern California men were charged Thursday with stealing millions of dollars from older victims in fraud schemes.
The US Lawyer’s Office has identified the suspect as follows:
Lovert Che, 44, Lomita Sylas Nyuydzene Verdzekov, 38, Chino Hills Mustafan Kachiwo Sely Yummy, 29, Inglewood, 29
Choi and Verdzekov were arrested Thursday, but Yummy remained in the whole.
The trio has been accused of stealing around $10 million from at least 100 victims. Starting in November 2021, the suspect and his accomplices have created “fake identifications of fictitious people, including passports and driver’s licenses,” court documents said.
Using these fake documents, they have established at least 36 shell companies in California to support their crimes, prosecutors said.
At least 145 bank accounts and 32 private mailboxes have been opened across Southern California using fake identities and fake businesses.
In one scheme, the trio allegedly used phone and email pop-ups to target elderly victims. They pretended to be law enforcement workers or employees of well-known companies who were trying to help victims maintain the security of their bank accounts.
They falsely claim that the victim’s bank or payment account has been breached and will provide help to quickly resolve the issue, authorities said.
They requested personal account information, telling them they needed to move money straight away from the corrupt account to ensure their funds were safe. The money will be transferred to a bank account owned and controlled by the suspect, officials said.
Funds were obtained through electronic bank transfers, postal money orders, cashier checks, or personal checks. The suspect is said to use stolen funds at personal expenses, including rental payments.
Another scam accused of having an attitude with property owners selling property. Using fake IDs and credentials, they persuaded the victim to wire their money or mail a check payment for what they believed was a legal real estate sale.
These schemes have led to suspects being accused of washing at least $10 million from at least 100 victims, court documents said.
“Finance fraud against our seniors unfortunately line up in the pockets of several cross-border criminal organizations,” said John Pasiucco, special agent at HSI Los Angeles. “HSI and our law enforcement partners are continuing to commit to maintaining our most vulnerable protections and notifying the public of red flag indicators of elder fraud.”
“They not only stole the victims’ money, they also took away their safety and trust,” said Joseph T. McNally, a US lawyer. “Let’s make this a clear message. If we scam members of our community, especially senior members, we will be accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Each suspect was charged with one count of a conspiracy to commit money laundering. Verdzekov and Che are scheduled to be arrested Thursday in US District Court in downtown LA
The third suspect, Yummy, remains massive.
Authorities advise anyone who may have been a victim of fraud to immediately contact the bank or financial institution and request a recall or reversal, along with a harmless letter or letter of compensation.
You should also contact your local law enforcement agency and file a detailed complaint with the FBI-operated Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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