A 21-count superseding indictment has been handed down against Aurora Phelps, a 35-year-old woman with residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit.
Phelps is accused of using romance as a ruse to swindle her victims, stealing millions of dollars from the men she met on online dating platforms. The indictment charges Phelps with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting our seniors from fraudulent schemes targeting their hearts and bank accounts,” said United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI and other partner agencies to investigate and prosecute financial exploitation crimes and bring criminals to justice.”
The FBI Las Vegas Division is also working to educate the public about the devastating effects of elder fraud schemes. “It is essential that we educate the public, specifically our seniors, about the signs to look for to keep Americans safe from falling victim to these deceitful criminals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafik Mattar for the FBI Las Vegas Division.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is available to assist victims of financial fraud. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, and English, Spanish and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Nevada
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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