PROVIDENCE, RI – A Providence man described in court documents as having played a key role in a “grandparent scheme” that financially victimized more than a dozen senior citizens in Rhode Island and Massachusetts has been sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison; ordered to pay restitution to his victims; and ordered by the court to perform community after serving his term of incarceration by speaking to senior citizen groups and organizations about his criminal conduct and ways they can avoid being victimized, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.
Vidal Roquez, 39, previously admitted to the court that he personally visited the homes of grandparent scam victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to collect cash from them after they had been convinced by other members of the conspiracy that a relative, usually a grandchild or child, had been arrested and that the money was urgently needed for bail. Some of the victims were told that a “gag order” was in place on their relative’s legal matter and that they were prohibited from sharing information with anyone else.
The investigation identified thirteen seniors that were victimized by Roquez. He was arrested after a failed attempt to defraud a senior in Little Compton, RI.
Roquez pleaded on December 14, 2023, to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to one year and one day of incarceration; three years of supervised release; sixty hours of community service by meeting with senior citizen organizations and groups, during which he is to describe his and his co-conspirators criminal conduct and to discuss ways seniors can protect themselves from being victimized; and to pay a total of $130,300 in restitution to his victims.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Little Compton Police Department.
United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Warwick, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Cranston, and South Kingstown, R.I. Police Departments; the Shrewsbury, Northborough, and Weston, MA, Police Departments; and the Rhode Island Fusion Center for their assistance investigating this case.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeting seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. If you are a victim or know a victim of elder fraud, you can call 1-877-FTC-HELP or go to ftc.gov/complaint. For downloadable Elder Abuse Prevention resources and for information about community outreach programs in Rhode Island, visit the United States Attorney’s Office’s Elder Justice Initiative web page at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/elder-justice.
All press releases from Office of the U.S. Attorney, District of Rhode Island
