BURLINGTON, Vt. – Canadian law enforcement arrested 23 Canadian nationals on March 4 after they were indicted by a federal grand jury in Vermont for allegedly running a “grandparent scam” that defrauded elderly Americans out of more than $21 million. The arrests followed an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The victims were from across the United States, including New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
According to the indictment, unsealed on March 4, the scheme operated between 2021 and June 2024. Call centers in and around Montreal targeted elderly victims in more than 40 states, with scammers posing as relatives or attorneys claiming that a family member had been arrested and needed bail money. Fraudulent couriers collected cash from victims’ homes before transferring the funds to Canada, sometimes using cryptocurrency to hide transactions.
Authorities raided multiple call centers on June 4, 2024, and found several suspects in the act of making scam calls. The indictment names Gareth West, Usman Khalid, Andrew Tatto, Stephan Moskwyn, and Ricky Ylimaki as leaders of the operation, charging them with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“These individuals are accused of an elaborate scheme using fear to extort millions of dollars,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge New England Michael J. Krol. “Tackling transnational crime is one of our greatest priorities.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service, and multiple Canadian law enforcement agencies assisted in the arrests. If convicted, the alleged ringleaders face up to 40 years in prison, while others face up to 20 years.
West and Jimmy Ylimaki remain at large.