Fresno Scammer Sentenced to 15+ Years for Multimillion-Dollar Caregiver Heist

Fresno Man Sentenced to 15+ Years for Multimillion-Dollar Caregiver Heist

A Fresno man has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for defrauding a vulnerable physician out of more than $2.7 million before his death and then attempting to defraud his estate out of an additional amount exceeding $20 million.

Anthony David Flores, 47, a.k.a. “Anton David,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered Flores to pay $1 million in restitution.

“This defendant heartlessly lined his own pockets while his victim mentally and physically declined, and ultimately died,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Financial fraudsters can prey on anyone, even the most financially successful among us. We hope that our efforts to convict and now sentence this defendant bring some solace to the victim’s family.”

The scheme began in June 2017 when Flores befriended the victim, a successful physician and investor worth more than $60 million, who suffered from a mental illness and lost the ability to care for himself after multiple hospitalizations. Flores and his co-defendant, Anna Rene Moore, 40, moved into the victim’s beachfront Malibu home rent-free and took control of his life.

From September 2017 to May 2018, Flores and Moore lived with the victim, diverting the victim’s wealth and using powers of attorney to access the victim’s finances. Flores used these powers to open bank accounts in the victim’s name, giving himself and Moore access to the victim’s wealth.

Flores pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

Flores’ co-defendant, Anna Rene Moore, pleaded guilty in August 2023 to seven felonies in this case and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28.

“Mr. Flores’ exploitation of a mentally ill person to steal his wealth is despicable, and he will now reap the consequences of his actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “Protecting vulnerable people from scammers will always be one of CI’s top priorities, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these horrible crimes.”