Edward Rosario-Canela, a Bronx resident, has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison for his involvement in a scam that targeted elderly victims, resulting in the loss of their life savings. The sentencing took place in a Hartford, Connecticut court, where Rosario-Canela pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
One of the victims, a now-deceased woman who needed the money to treat her heart disease, fell prey to Rosario-Canela’s scheme. Alongside his ailing wife, the couple had diligently saved money over the years for retirement and to secure their children’s future. Additionally, a portion of their savings was intended to cover the wife’s medical expenses. In 2019, Rosario-Canela called the couple, pretending to be their grandson, and convinced them to hand over all their savings. Tragically, a few months later, the wife passed away, leaving the husband devastated.
The couple had already been struggling to manage their medical expenses, but their desire to help their grandson took precedence. The victim expressed his anguish in court documents, stating that Rosario-Canela not only robbed them of their savings and peace of mind but also contributed to his wife’s untimely death. The husband was left with no choice but to seek assistance from family members to cover the funeral expenses.
Rosario-Canela’s modus operandi involved calling unsuspecting families and persuading them to send cash payments to various addresses in Connecticut, primarily in Hartford. He collaborated with co-conspirators in the Dominican Republic, taking a cut of the funds before forwarding the rest to them. Court documents reveal that the fraudster often used highly specific information to make the situation appear plausible and deceive his victims.
Another case mentioned in the court documents involved a Pennsylvania resident who sent a total of $37,400 in three separate payments, believing the scammers were an attorney and court clerk representing their son in a drunk driving case.
1 Response
As a blog commenter, I would like to share a personal experience related to this topic. A few years ago, my grandmother fell victim to a similar scam that targeted elderly individuals. It was a devastating experience for our family, and it opened our eyes to the dangers that exist in the world.
My grandmother, who was in her late 70s at the time, received a phone call from someone claiming to be a representative from a well-known financial institution. They told her that there was an issue