Every year, scammers bleed elderly victims dry—$1.7 billion stolen nationwide in 2021 alone. In Rhode Island, federal prosecutors and local cops are drawing a line in the sand. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha laid it bare at a packed elder fraud training in East Greenwich: this isn’t just theft. It’s emotional warfare on seniors who never recover financially—or psychologically.
The program, hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, brought together over sixty federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. They drilled into the mechanics of elder fraud: phone scams, phishing, fake IRS calls, and mail schemes designed to exploit trust and isolation. The goal? Turn single-victim reports into takedowns of full-scale fraud networks.
“Elder fraud consists of financial crimes that target older people’s money or property,” said Bristol Police Chief Kevin M. Lynch, President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association. “Your local police will be your first call. We pledge to work with state and federal partners to be your advocate and champion.” He urged victims not to stay silent out of shame—”timely collaboration is key.”\
Darnell Edwards, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, emphasized the mail’s role in fraud—and in justice. “The partnership between our office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has always been strong,” Edwards said. “Today’s training highlights our joint effort to stop criminals preying on the vulnerable. We’re committed to protecting the integrity of the mail system.”\
Nationwide, the DOJ is scaling up. The Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force now targets overseas operations flooding American seniors with scam calls and emails. Just last year, more than 550,000 individuals were notified they may qualify for remission payments—real money clawed back from crooks.
U.S. Attorney Cunha credited Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton, Elder Justice Coordinator, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector Cory P. McManus for leading the day’s training. The event was held at the New England Institute of Technology’s East Greenwich campus. One message echoed through the room: this crime ends now.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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