Fabrisio Arias, Sweepstakes Scam, California 2023

A San Diego man was sentenced to 41 months in prison for his part in an international sweepstakes scam that tricked seniors into believing they'd won a prize, but first they had to pay a fee or tax to release their winnings.

Fabrisio Arias, 41, of Fontana, California, was sentenced in federal court on June 1, 2023

According to his plea agreement, between November 2020 and September 2022, Arias was a member of an international conspiracy that defrauded victims in the United States and laundered large amounts of money.

The conspiracy involved scammers who contacted victims by phone and convinced them to send thousands of dollars to Arias' home in Fontana, California; and Arias, who laundered the proceeds through his U.S.-based bank accounts.

The phone scammers in Costa Rica made unsolicited calls to elderly victims in the United States using spoofed numbers. This allowed callers to conceal their identity and make it appear as if the calls originated from locations in the United States.

Arias received and laundered more than $395,536.05 in fraud proceeds over the course of nearly two years and sent more than $237,000 of proceeds to his co-conspirators in Costa Rica.

Arias must pay $395,536.05 in restitution to 22 victims, many of whom suffered financial hardship as a result of the scheme.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/man-sentenced-sweepstakes-scam-targeting-elderly