SCRANTON, PA – Christen Lee Cosgrove, 40, and Brian Cosgrove, 37, both of Weatherly, Pennsylvania, are facing a mountain of federal charges after allegedly ripping off a 93-year-old victim and an estate to the tune of roughly $1,000,000. The pair were indicted by a federal grand jury this week, accused of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, according to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus.
The 59-count indictment paints a picture of calculated greed. Between October 2022 and May 2023, the Cosgroves allegedly schemed to siphon funds from financial institutions holding money belonging to both the elderly victim and the estate. Prosecutors claim they used a network of wire transactions to illegally obtain the funds, then brazenly spent it on a lavish lifestyle – a new house, a recreational vehicle, a boat, luxury vacations, and wiping out personal and business debts.
This wasn’t a slow bleed; it was a full-on assault on the financial security of a vulnerable individual and the rightful owners of the estate. The indictment details multiple unlawful monetary transactions, suggesting the Cosgroves actively tried to conceal the source of the stolen money. Investigators from the Internal Revenue Service and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office painstakingly pieced together the evidence, uncovering what authorities are calling a deliberate and complex fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts will be leading the prosecution. If convicted of bank fraud, the Cosgroves each face a maximum sentence of 30 years behind bars. Wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment, in addition to supervised release and significant fines. However, sentencing is ultimately up to the judge, who will consider federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
The feds are clear: these are just allegations at this stage. Both Christen Lee Cosgrove and Brian Cosgrove are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the sheer scale of the alleged fraud, targeting an elderly person and an estate, speaks to a callous disregard for the law and the well-being of others.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it unfolds, bringing you the latest updates from the courtroom and any further developments in this disturbing case of alleged elder financial exploitation. The public deserves to know when individuals prey on the vulnerable, and we will ensure this story doesn’t fade into the shadows.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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