Manuel Mauro Chavez, International Telemarketing Scheme, Florida 2021

Florida Man Sentenced to 133 Months in Prison for Role in International Telemarketing Scheme

A Florida man has been sentenced to 133 months in prison for his role in an international telemarketing scheme that defrauded over 400 victims of millions of dollars.

Manuel Mauro Chavez, 32, of Hollywood, was convicted at trial in July 2021 in the Western District of North Carolina of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and six counts of international money laundering.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Chavez was a U.S.-based participant in a fraudulent scheme in which telemarketers based in Costa Rica falsely posed as U.S. government officials and contacted victims in the United States to tell them they had won a substantial "sweepstakes" prize, but before collecting this supposed prize, they needed to make a series of up-front payments to cover purported taxes or other fees.

After deceiving victims out of their money, Chavez transmitted these funds from the United States for the benefit of the call center and others involved in the scheme in Costa Rica.

In related matters, Mark Raymond Oman, 38, of Long Beach, Washington, was sentenced on November 17, 2022, to three years and one month in prison, and Paul Andy Stiep, 30, of Miami, was sentenced on December 20, 2022, to seven years in prison.

Oman worked at the call center soliciting victims and collecting victim funds in Costa Rica, while Stiep transmitted victims' payments from the United States for the benefit of the call center in Costa Rica.

Chavez's sentence is a result of his conviction on one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and six counts of international money laundering. He is currently serving his sentence.

According to the U.S. Government, the scheme defrauded over 400 victims out of millions of dollars.

The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Joshua DeBold and Della Sentilles of the U.S. Government's Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

The U.S. Government notes that the best method for preventing elder fraud is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors, and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.

For more information about elder fraud, contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

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