Related Federal Cases
- Kobi Alexander, Securities and Accounting Fraud, New York 2007 · Pennsylvania
- Trolice, $5M Wire Fraud, New York · New York
- Wong Kai Man, Securities Fraud, New York 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Terrell Fuller, Wire Fraud, Brooklyn NY, 2023 · New Jersey
- Letitia James Sues Trump Admin Over H-1B Visa Fee, New York NY, 2023 · New York
Arash Ketabchi, Telemarketing Fraud, New York 2016
Arash Ketabchi, 38, a/k/a ‘Zach Peterson,’ was one of six New Jersey men charged in Manhattan federal court for their alleged role in a telemarketing fraud scheme targeting the elderly.
According to the allegations, the scheme, which operated from October 2013 to September 2016, promised victims, many of whom were over 70 years old, that they would earn money in exchange for an initial cash ‘investment’ in business development, website design, grant applications, or tax preparation services.
The victims, who were swindled out of thousands of dollars, were told that their investments would yield a significant return, but in reality, the defendants never fulfilled their promises.
When victims sought refunds or fought credit card charges, the defendants provided false explanations and documentation to the credit card companies.
The six defendants, who were arrested this morning and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman in Manhattan federal court, are:
- Arash Ketabchi, a/k/a ‘Zach Peterson’
- Andrew Owimrin, a/k/a ‘Andrew Owens,’ a/k/a ‘Jonathan Stewart’
- William Sinclair
- Michael Finocchiario, a/k/a ‘Michael Foster’
- Ariel Peralta
- Joseph McGowan
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said, ‘As alleged, these defendants targeted the elderly, convincing them to ‘invest’ in their businesses with promises of financial returns. In fact, as alleged, these defendants never fulfilled their promises, and instead swindled their victims out of thousands of dollars.’
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said, ‘For almost three years, these defendants allegedly targeted some of the most vulnerable in our society, the elderly, by running a fraudulent telemarketing scheme that bilked the victims out of several thousands of dollars.’
The case is being prosecuted by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
