The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has secured convictions against a New Bedford man in a troubling case of larceny and witness intimidation. Victor Tiu Lopez was found guilty on multiple counts related to defrauding individuals under false pretenses, involving over $20,000 taken from unsuspecting victims, according to an announcement by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
In what reads like a cautionary tale, the seven-day bench trial in Bristol County Taunton Superior Court brought to light the tactics used by Lopez to exploit primarily vulnerable members of a Guatemalan Mayan immigrant community. Many of these individuals were in dire need of housing and fell prey to Lopez’s scheme of presenting himself as the owner, or future owner, of affordable rentals. The victims were defrauded of substantial deposit amounts, conspiring to a fraud that has struck a chord in the local community. Judge Claudine Cloutier sentenced Lopez to two consecutive two-year terms in the House of Correction, and a subsequent one-year probation period, as reported by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
Lopez's conviction is not purely about financial crime but also encompasses the reprehension of witness intimidation. According to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Lopez threatened a community organizer from Centro Comunitario De Trabajadores, a non-profit supporting immigrant workers, who assisted-the rental scam victims in reporting Lopez’s fraudulent activities.
The joint efforts of Assistant Attorney General Kristen Sullivan of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office White Collar and Public Integrity Division and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Schmidt of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office who functioned as Special Assistant Attorney General, were instrumental in prosecuting the case. The work of Victim Witness Advocate Ceara Tavares and Civilian Investigator Marcus Melia of the AGO’s Financial Investigations Division, along with the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, the New Bedford Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police were also vital to the successful outcome.
This high-profile case highlights the continuous efforts by the Attorney General's Office to tackle serious criminal misconduct and reinforces the importance of public trust in our institutions. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office White Collar and Public Integrity Division remains committed to addressing crimes that impact the integrity of public service and instilling confidence in governmental operations.
