A Week Ago Scam Victims Triumphed In Dallas Texas & SCARS Was Right There In The Court!
PART 2:
EXCLUSIVE AUDIO INTERVIEW
On October 22, 2021, our own SCARS’ Director Debby Montgomery Johnson was in the Dallas courtroom in support of 80+ romance scam victims, including some in our own SCARS support groups, for the sentencing of one of the scammers arrested by the FBI.
listen to an interview with one of the victims and our own Debby Montgomery Johnson who were there that day in the courtroom!
EXCLUSIVE AUDIO INTERVIEW
FOR REASONS OF SAFETY, WE HAVE NOT NAMED THE VICTIMS
Why This Matters?
Almost all anti-scam groups continue to beat the drum of futility, about how law enforcement is doing nothing! Yet the reality is so far from the truth.
While scamming is on the rise due to the pandemic, that FACT is that arrests are increasing and global law enforcement is doing a huge amount, supported by crime prevention organizations like SCARS.
Reporting these crimes is not a pleasant experience. Particularly since most of the time, the local police – your first responder, and the people that have to take the first report can do almost nothing. But those reports matter as you hear in this interview. Every report adds data that law enforcement can use to connect the dots that can lead to the arrest and shut down of scammer organizations around the world. Your report matters. You may not get what you expected, but that is just the way it is right now, but it is important!
More Information
We encourage you all to read Debby Montgomery Johnson’s book about her victim experience available here at the SCARS store: shop.AgainstScams.org
You can also learn more about our SCARS Director Debby Montgomery Johnson at The Woman Behind the Smile and to join in on her Thursday morning podcast “Stand Up & Speak Up”
Part 1
Click Here for Part 1
Background Information
From The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas’ press release on Monday, April 5, 2021:
A Carrollton, Texas man named “Moses Moreira” has pled guilty to federal violations announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Moses Moreira, 42, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud on April 1, 2021, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine A. Nowak.
“The identification and disruption of white-collar fraud schemes, and the vigorous prosecution of the criminals responsible for them, is a top priority for the Eastern District of Texas,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “It is our mission to make internet communication and commerce as safe as possible and rooting out online fraud schemes—such as the one here—are an integral part of that process.”
According to court documents, Moreira worked with co-conspirators to devise and execute an online fraud scheme, which involved, among other things, fabricating false identities and stories to entice victims and ultimately lure money from them. Moreira and his co-conspirators used the fraudulently obtained funds for personal purchases and converted portions of these funds for use in international shipping. According to the indictment, at least 80 victims sent money to Moreira and his co-conspirators, with at least 60 victims sending money directly to Moreira or accounts controlled by Moreira. These victims have lost a combined total of approximately $4 million. Moreira was indicted on Feb. 10, 2021 and charged with federal violations.
Under federal statutes, Moreira faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Thank you for the video! It was very satisfying to see, that in at least one case one of these people are being put away. The police here in Switzerland told me, that they are not going to investigate unless the amount of money rises over €500 000. The case is dropped as soon as it is reported and everybody is just shaking their heads. The victim refund department here told me that they are not contributing to psychotherapy costs, because I have not been attacked physically. In the sense of how they understand the word I am not a victim. A victim is someone who is attacked, hit, torn, threatened. This was again traumatizing and I wish I had never contacted neither the poclice nor the victim departement of our canton, as the psychologist had advised me. Seeing my scammer in jail would be a huge satisfaction to me. I don`t care about the money anymore, but the loss of dignity and the shame are bigger problems. Thanks for all the work you do. I will probably report the case to the FBI now, although I am not thinking it will change anything as I live in Europe. The Scammer spoke perfect Americam English, he seems to be a Trump supporter because he defended Trumps behaviour while the storm on the Capitol. So that would mean that he is not nessesarily black.
Heike, thank you for your comment. It is unfortunate that local police are not better trained. The FACT is that scams are crime of violence. However, Switzerland does not have the treaties in place to really doe very much with these crimes. But the good news is that scammers are being arrested everywhere in very large numbers. The only justice that comes to scam victims – in most cases – is to recover from the experience. Please do all that you can to focus on yourself and turn away from the scam and scammer, so that you can have a happier future.