Nine Israelis arrested for US lottery scam

Sep 28, 2008, 6:41 pm (8 comments)

International

US federal agents and Israeli police arrested nine Israelis in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan on Friday on charges that they bilked New Yorkers out of more than $2 million through a lottery telemarketing scam.

They are accused of cold-calling people in New York from a "boiler-room" operation in Ramat Gan and asking them to wire as much as $40,000 to Israel to claim nonexistent international sweepstakes prizes.

The ring targeted senior citizens, who were told that the calls were coming from a New York law firm and that the wire transfers were taxes and fees that needed to be paid before the winnings could be released, according to an indictment filed in Manhattan federal court.

More than 10 victims were given a US toll-free number to call and told not to tell anyone about the prize drawing, prosecutors said. The money was allegedly wired via Western Union to accounts at Bank Leumi, Bank Hapoalim and Union Bank between September 2007 and this month.

American officials said it was the largest number of Israelis ever held on a single extradition request.

"Cooperation between law enforcement and prosecutors' offices here and in Israel has made clear that borders provide no safe haven for such fraudulent schemes," Michael Garcia, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

The Tel Aviv Fraud Division of the Israel Police, the Justice Ministry and the Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office all participated in the investigation. The suspects were initially detained by Israeli authorities on September 9 and 11.

If they are sent to the US, each defendant will face two counts of committing wire fraud through telemarketing and one of conspiracy to commit fraud. They could be sentenced up to 30 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

The nine who were arrested are due in Jerusalem District Court on Sunday for hearings on the US extradition request, according to prosecutors in New York.

A 10th suspect, Shai Kadosh, remains at large, officials said.

Jerusalem Post

Comments

MaddMike51

I hope Israel sends these thieves to America for prosecution.Anyone that would prey on and steal from senior citizens is lower than whale crap...and thats at the bottom of the ocean!

 

Never,ever send somone money to collect a lottery winning.

chasingadream's avatarchasingadream

Quote: Originally posted by MaddMike51 on Sep 28, 2008

I hope Israel sends these thieves to America for prosecution.Anyone that would prey on and steal from senior citizens is lower than whale crap...and thats at the bottom of the ocean!

 

Never,ever send somone money to collect a lottery winning.

whale crap?

thats pretty low..............

Lurk More N00b's avatarLurk More N00b

It's still just peanuts compared to what the 419 scammers are taking in from suckers..... er, "victims" from around the world, but it's nice to see a little justice once in awhile. Smash

hjones

I didn't know that Nigeria was part of Israel, or is it that Israelis are in Nigeria...?

Lurk More N00b's avatarLurk More N00b

Quote: Originally posted by hjones on Sep 30, 2008

I didn't know that Nigeria was part of Israel, or is it that Israelis are in Nigeria...?

Perhaps you should invest in a globe.

I was merely pointing out the prevalence in worldwide confidence scams.

JackpotWanna's avatarJackpotWanna

Like My dad always said, " Nothing is free in life!" When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is a scam. 

psykomo's avatarpsykomo

Quote: Originally posted by MaddMike51 on Sep 28, 2008

I hope Israel sends these thieves to America for prosecution.Anyone that would prey on and steal from senior citizens is lower than whale crap...and thats at the bottom of the ocean!

 

Never,ever send somone money to collect a lottery winning.

me>>>eeeeeeeeeee222>>>!

BUT, (alway's a BUTT outdar)

I hope D usa of AMERICA will

send D freddie mac >>>>>>

send D fannie mae  >>>>>>

2 Israel as eXchange !!!!!!!!!!

those A HOE's are ASKING???

for a ($&%)$750 BILLION ???

LOTTERY BAIL-OUT>>>>>>?

WOW??? & we sit around for

them to pass-out peanut's???

only psykoo get's no<<<<<<

"RESPECT"<<<<<<<<<<<<

BUTT,? why should "THEY"???

Jack-in-the-Box LP member's DEZERV JP$!

PSYKOMO

neverwins

Quote: Originally posted by chasingadream on Sep 28, 2008

whale crap?

thats pretty low..............

that IS pretty low! hehe

 

It is good to see one of these things actually get caught, because there are too many of them around. And I mean it's easy for me to say, but how can ppl continually be caught with these scams! It's unfortunate that they the elderly are less aware of these kind of things and seem to continue to be caught...

 

Amanda

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