More than 30 defendants have been charged in a $65 million multinational fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elders across the United States, with a little help from the YouTubers behind channels Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media.
Scammer Payback host Pierogi, alongside Trilogy Media’s Ashton Bingham and Art Kulik (who also host the Fox Nation show “Scammed: Getting Even”), helped federal law enforcement identify multiple defendants and uncover the structure of the conspiracy, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The criminal network was based in Southern California and had operated since at least 2019. The fraudsters — mostly Chinese nationals working with India-based scam call centers — would call elderly victims posing as technical support agents, government officials or bank employees. They would then instruct the victims to withdraw bulk cash, conceal it in packages and mail them to various names and addresses provided by the conspirators. The packages were shipped to short-term rental locations, addressed to fictitious names corresponding with fake IDs.
Pierogi of Scammer Payback, Ashton Bingham and Art Kulik of Trilogy Media
YouTube / Trilogy Media
