Six residents of Montreal have admitted to defrauding elderly Americans of hundreds of thousands of dollars through a guilty plea. The individuals, namely David Anthony Di Rienzo, Tenaj Johnson, Carson Vaudry, Mason Pereira-Walker, Paul Letourneau, and Steven Petruzziello, confessed to charges of conspiracy and fraud. They confessed to engaging in fraudulent phone calls with American seniors from 2019 to 2021, attempting to extort $1.5 million from approximately 1,700 victims. Most of the funds were intercepted before reaching the scammers.
Another individual, Joshua Sarroino, who is currently in custody for alleged participation in a murder case, entered a no-contest plea, indicating acceptance of the conviction without admitting guilt. As part of their guilty pleas, the accused individuals are required to pay around $90,000, primarily owed by Di Rienzo to reimburse eight victims. Di Rienzo was noted as the ringleader of the scam network in the agreed statement of facts.
Sentencing arguments, potentially involving victim testimonies, are set for January. Petruzziello received a sentence of two years detention, with one year of house arrest followed by three years of probation and 200 hours of community service.
The scam operation involved a scripted scheme where scammers impersonated grandchildren in distress, persuading victims to send money. Despite the group’s earnings of approximately $316,000, court documents revealed Di Rienzo’s ownership of luxury vehicles, including multiple Mercedes and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
The arrests and formal charges against the individuals were part of an investigation by Quebec provincial police known as Projet Partenariat. Authorities indicated that multiple grandparent scam groups, including the Di Rienzo network, have been active in Montreal, with alleged ties to organized crime syndicates such as the Italian mafia and biker gangs.
In a separate case, 25 Quebec residents are facing fraud charges in the U.S. for their role in a network that defrauded victims of $30 million. The accused are contesting extradition to the U.S., where they would stand trial. The purported leader of this network, Gareth West, posed as a wealthy real estate developer while allegedly profiting from the scam. West was apprehended near Montreal following an investigation by CBC.
For further details on this investigation, refer to the link: [From Mogul to Most Wanted](https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/montreal-grandparent-scam-network-gareth-west).
