In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg have announced that the Justice Department is intensifying efforts to protect American seniors from fraudulent schemes that often deplete their life savings. Recently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has prosecuted several individuals involved in such frauds and has been actively educating law enforcement about these scams.
“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 employs a two-pronged strategy: prosecuting criminals involved in elder fraud schemes and engaging with community groups to educate them about preventive measures.
Common elder fraud schemes include romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams.
Recent prosecutions include:
- In "U.S. v. Parikh, et al.", Pradip Parikh and Alpesh Patel were convicted for laundering proceeds from an Indian call center scam targeting elderly victims.
- In "U.S. v. Young, et al." and "U.S. v. Grey", Rederic Young, Randolph Leggs, and Kendall Grey pleaded guilty for their roles in a retirement account takeover scheme.
Outreach efforts included participation in an Elder Abuse Training event on June 11, 2025, attended by over 125 representatives from various agencies.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline provides support for victims of financial fraud aged 60 or older at (833) FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). The hotline operates Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern Time.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of the Department of Justice’s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force focusing on foreign-based scams affecting American seniors.
More information on these initiatives can be found on the Department of Justice's website or by contacting their Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.