Dominican ring busted for scamming US grandparents from local call center

Santo Domingo.- A large-scale fraud and identity theft ring, operated by Dominicans out of a call center in the Dominican Republic, has been busted for allegedly swindling millions from elderly individuals in the United States. These scammers targeted hundreds of victims, with an average age of 84, stealing over US$5 million through a malicious “grandparent scam.”

The operation, a joint effort between the Dominican National Police’s Special Division for the Investigation of International Organized Crime (Deicroi) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), involved simultaneous raids in California, New York, Florida, Maryland, and Missouri.

The “grandparent scam” involved call center workers who would pretend to be a grandchild in distress needing urgent cash. A second accomplice would then pose as a lawyer, demanding money for legal fees to supposedly help the “grandchild.” The stolen money was then laundered and wired back to the Dominican Republic.

U.S. authorities have accused Oscar Manuel Castaños García of leading the operation, stating that he ran the call center where English-speaking accomplices made the fraudulent calls.

As a result of the coordinated effort, 13 people have been indicted. Four of the accused are currently awaiting extradition to the U.S. to face charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracy, both of which carry significant penalties.

The country’s Public Ministry has previously tackled similar rings with operations like “Discovery” and “Discovery 2.0,” which brought down groups that were largely defrauding retired U.S. citizens. This latest bust highlights the commitment of authorities on both sides to shutting down these heartless scams.