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California Siblings Convicted of Wire and Mail Fraud
San Diego, California – In a shocking turn of events, Adriana Camberos and her brother Andres Camberos, were convicted by a federal jury of multiple fraud charges on October 25, 2024. The siblings’ illegal scheme involved lying to manufacturers to sell wholesale groceries and other goods at steep discounts by promising the goods would be sold in Mexico, or to prisons or rehabilitation facilities.
The defendants, who owned and controlled three businesses: Tradeway International, Inc., doing business as Baja Exporting, Specialty Foods International, Inc., doing business as Promix Co., Prison Food Depot, Rehab Food Depot and Specialty Foods International, and Baja Foodservice S.R.L. de C.V., used the companies to get lower prices from manufacturers and resell the products at higher prices to U.S. customers.
According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants sold hundreds of millions of dollars of products to U.S. distributors between 2019 and September 2023, with less than a tenth of one percent of their sales going to any Mexican retailer or distributor, and no business was done with prisons or rehab centers.
The jury found the defendants guilty of eight of 11 counts that went to the jury, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and seven wire fraud counts. The defendants were found not guilty of three mail fraud counts.
The defendants took numerous steps to conceal and perpetuate their fraud, including removing GPS tracking devices from manufacturers’ shipments, removing Spanish-language labels or packaging intended for the Mexican market, and arranging ‘market visits’ in Tijuana to create the appearance the products were being sold as promised.
The defendants’ scheme was uncovered, and they are now facing the consequences of their actions. The court has ordered the defendants to pay tens of millions of dollars in restitution.
Defendant: Adriana Camberos and Andres Camberos
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and seven wire fraud counts
City and State: San Diego, California
Exact Date: October 25, 2024
Sentence or Outcome: Convicted, ordered to pay tens of millions in restitution, currently pending sentencing
Dollar Amounts: Hundreds of millions of dollars in sales to U.S. distributors between 2019 and September 2023, with less than a tenth of one percent of their sales going to any Mexican retailer or distributor
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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