Arrests Aimed at Dismantling a Transnational Fraud Organization in “Operation Silver Shores”

Arrests were made today across the United States, in California, Texas, and Florida, following the indictment of more than 20 members of a transnational criminal organization charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Operation Silver Shores, an investigation into a sophisticated transnational fraud organization operating out of the United States and several countries in Latin America, resulted in the arrests of 15 individuals responsible for stealing more than $30 million from mostly elderly American victims.

“The indictment announced today exposes a telemarketing scam that deliberately targeted our vulnerable elderly citizens and yielded more than $30 million in devastating financial losses to victims across the country,” U.S. Attorney Grant said. “But my office will relentlessly pursue justice, hold fraudsters accountable, and work tirelessly to safeguard seniors from such predatory schemes.”

“Today, the FBI delivered a decisive blow against violent gangs with the success of Operation Silver Shores,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The Norteños and their gang affiliates arrested today are moving into sophisticated financial crimes targeting our communities’ most vulnerable, the elderly. This takedown sends a clear message:  we will not tolerate criminals exploiting our communities.”

“The defendants orchestrated a multi-million-dollar transnational fraud scheme by deceiving victims into believing they were entitled to restitution from a timeshare lawsuit – then demanding upfront fees to release the supposed funds,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS‑CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “Let this serve as a clear warning to fraudsters that financial crimes will lead to arrest and prosecution. IRS-CI special agents are committed to tracing illicit proceeds, holding perpetrators accountable, and deterring future financial crimes.”

U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood said, “Postal Inspectors have always stood against fraud in the U.S. mails, so I am proud of the dedication of the postal inspectors who participated in this investigation. Postal customers face victimization from increasingly complex and organized criminal enterprises, which is why teamwork like today’s operation is so important. We would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and our federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration in bringing these defendants to face justice in a court of law.”

Members of the criminal organization contacted victims through phone calls and emails using the false identities of attorneys and government officials. Many of the victims owned or previously owned timeshares and were told that they were entitled to receive money related to legal settlements concerning their timeshares. The organization used various tactics to extract money from the victims.

The organization utilized a complicated web of shell companies, fictitious business names, and financial accounts to launder the money received from victims. The defendants moved money from victims to co-conspirators through a series of layered financial transactions, designed to obscure the true nature of the transactions. The defendants then transferred fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by the organization’s members located in the United States, Latin America, and elsewhere.

The organization used various tactics to evade financial institutions’ anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) policies and procedures by misrepresenting to financial institutions the true purpose and nature of their activities. When questioned by financial institutions about the financial activity, the defendants misrepresented the true nature of the transactions. The defendants also conducted much of their money laundering activity through financial technology companies, including those specializing in international transactions, cryptocurrency exchanges, and smaller financial institutions that they believed had weaker AML/KYC controls.

To date, investigators have identified more than 372 victims and losses exceeding $30 million. Investigators have identified and seized more than $1.5 million in victim funds and are continuing to locate and seize additional assets.

The following were arrested today and are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering:

• Piera Salgado Teleki, 34, of Berkeley, Calif.
• Maira Liset Chavez, 36, of Marysville, Calif.
• Sergio Madrigal Lacayo Jr., 39, of Stockton, Calif.
• Celina Martinez, 44, of San Jose, Calif.
• Ashley Molina, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Carlos Zamora, 40, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida.
• Stephanie Alonzo, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Ricardo Plascencia, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Samuel Lopez, 45, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Veronica Puentes, 40, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

The following additional California residents were arrested today and are charged as noted:

• Antonio Palafox Aguilar, 33, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Felix Alejandro, 39, of Bakersfield, currently a federal inmate at UPS Florence-High, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Alejandro Cuarenta, 33, of Bakersfield, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Jennifer Magana, 29, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Anthony Chavez, 27, of Fremont, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Truckee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences. The maximum statutory penalty for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years in prison and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).