Justice Department increases efforts against elder fraud amid rising concerns

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg have announced increased efforts by the Justice Department to protect seniors from fraudulent schemes that often deplete their life savings.

"Prosecutors across the country are stepping up the fight against malicious schemes that target older Americans," said Attorney General Bondi. "We are working with domestic law enforcement and foreign counterparts every day to hold criminals accountable and ensure that justice is done for our seniors both here at home and abroad."

"Our Office is committed to identifying and prosecuting fraudsters who target elderly citizens," said U.S. Attorney Hertzberg. "We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring opportunistic scammers to justice and ensure they get the punishment they deserve."

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has implemented a two-pronged strategy: prosecuting criminals involved in elder fraud schemes, both domestically and internationally, and engaging with law enforcement partners to educate them about such offenses.

Elder fraud typically involves romance fraud, lottery scams, tech support scams, and grandparent scams—each employing different tactics but all targeting older individuals.

Recent prosecutions include cases like U.S. v. Parikh et al., where Pradip Parikh and Alpesh Patel were convicted for their roles in laundering proceeds from an Indian call center scam targeting elderly victims through fear tactics involving compromised social security numbers.

Another case involves Rederic Young, Randolph Leggs, and Kendall Grey who were implicated in a retirement account takeover scheme using false identities to launder stolen funds.

On June 11, 2025, as part of outreach efforts on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in an Elder Abuse Training event aimed at educating law enforcement officials on elder abuse issues.

Additionally, the National Elder Fraud Hotline offers support for victims aged 60 or older who have experienced financial fraud. The hotline operates Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern Time.

The Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force continues its focus on investigating foreign-based schemes affecting American seniors such as romance scams and mass-mailing frauds.

For more information on these initiatives or if you need assistance regarding elder fraud issues, various resources are available including websites for the Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative and Consumer Protection Branch.