In a significant operation against fraud, the Department of Justice has seized collectible stamps valued at over $1 million, proceeds from a fraud scheme that heavily targeted seniors and vulnerable populations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington has taken action, filing a Verified Civil Forfeiture Complaint to claim 149 lots of valuable stamps and other items, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The recovered stamps were originally purchased with funds swindled from individuals who fell victim to deceitful scammers. These tricksters masqueraded as government agents, regulators, or romantic interests to carry out their schemes. The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Tessa M. Gorman, shared her enthusiasm over this step towards restitution: "Too often when victims have been defrauded in these schemes, their money is gone for good,” and she continued with, “We are delighted to be able to share good news with these victims and hope to be able to return funds to them through this civil forfeiture action."
An investigation has pointed out that deposits used for purchasing these stamps can be traced directly to victims of crime. The fraud was executed in multiple forms, including government impersonation and romance scams. It is important to note that the Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries Inc. of New York, where the stamps were seized, is not under any criminal accusation.
The case unveiled a pattern of deception where victims were cold-called and misled by perpetrators claiming to be from high-profile government entities such as the FBI or SEC. Those hapless souls were conned into believing their bank accounts or identities were in jeopardy. According to the Justice Department, the victims were convinced to transfer their own assets ostensibly for safety but were instead lining the pockets of the fraudsters. In some tragic stories, individuals lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to these scams.
The complex web of fraud did not only ensnare those who were directly duped. The predators also used romance scams, engaging with victims through social media, to move money under the pretenses of love and trust. These second-tier victims would receive cashier’s checks from the primary victims, then wire the funds to the auction gallery, believing they were helping a romantic partner.
Investigators have connected approximately $1,012,300 to the various victims so far. While larger sums totaling $1,383,437 were deposited for the purchase of the stamps, efforts to trace additional victims are ongoing. Though no criminal charges have been filed yet, possible accusations include conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The FBI continues to spearhead the investigation, in coordination with Asset Forfeit Assistant United States Attorney Krista Bush.
