Seven Canadians have been indicted in federal court with participating in an extensive telemarketing scheme, based in Montreal, that targeted American senior citizens.
Gilles Maisonneuve, Mitchell Karachinsky, Ivaylo Marinov, Gino Iovannone, Daniel Katona, Gloria Kaitting, and James Rouillard were charged with conspiracy and mail and wire fraud in an indictment returned by a grand jury sitting in U.S. District Court in Boston.
Between March 2000 and this past June, the defendants allegedly conspired to defraud people across the U.S. though a phony telemarketing scheme.
According to the indictment, the defendants posed as representatives of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, called prospective victims and falsely represented that they had won a large lottery or sweepstakes. But in order to collect the prize the caller was informed that he or she had to prepay taxes or other administrative fees.
Victims allegedly were given specific instructions on how to wire funds to accounts designated by the telemarketers. They also were told to maintain strict confidentiality about the supposed lottery or sweepstakes winning or risk the forfeiture of their “prize.”
Victims were promised as much as $25 million in winnings. None of the victims, located all across the U.S., ever received any money.
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