PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man who played a key role in a ‘grandparent scheme’ that financially victimized over a dozen senior citizens in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison.
Vidal Roquez, 39, previously admitted to the court that he personally visited the homes of grandparent scam victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to collect cash from them after they had been convinced by other members of the conspiracy that a relative, usually a grandchild or child, had been arrested and that the money was urgently needed for bail.
Some of the victims were told that a ‘gag order’ was in place on their relative’s legal matter and that they were prohibited from sharing information with anyone else. The investigation identified 13 seniors that were victimized by Roquez.
Roquez was arrested after a failed attempt to defraud a senior in Little Compton, RI. He pleaded guilty on December 14, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Roquez to one year and one day of incarceration; three years of supervised release; 60 hours of community service, during which he is to describe his and his co-conspirators’ criminal conduct and to discuss ways seniors can protect themselves from being victimized; and to pay a total of $130,300 in restitution to his victims.
Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Little Compton Police Department. United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha thanked the various police departments and the Rhode Island Fusion Center for their assistance in the investigation.
The Department of Justice prioritizes combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeting seniors. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or visit ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Providence Scammer Sentenced for Grandparent Scheme · Massachusetts
- Daniel Saad Convicted in Snow’s Clam Box Arson Scheme · Massachusetts
- Mass. Pain Doc Pleads Guilty to $27M Fraud Scheme · Massachusetts
- Phan and Tran Sentenced in $330,000 Cell Phone Fraud Scheme · New Hampshire
- Seven Indicted in $1M ‘Card Cracking’ Scheme · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News