Central Islip, NY- A federal jury in Central Islip, New York, has found Phillip Priolo, 61, a resident of Hallandale Beach, Florida, guilty of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud. Priolo was charged in November 2021 for running a mass mailing fraud scheme that defrauded thousands, mostly elderly individuals, by promising them false prizes.
During the trial, evidence demonstrated that from March 2015 to December 2016, Priolo and his partners mailed millions of misleading prize notices. These notices falsely claimed recipients had been chosen for a significant cash prize, contingent upon paying a fee. Instead of the promised reward, payees received nothing, confirming that the mailings were mass-produced and not personalized.
Both the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service emphasized their commitment to protecting elderly citizens from such fraudulent schemes. Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth acknowledged the thorough investigation by the Postal Inspection Service, and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen stressed the vulnerability of older demographics to financial exploitation.
Priolo will face sentencing later this year before U.S. District Judge Nusrat Jahan Choudh