Ramat Gan con artists defraud Americans of $2 million in lotto scam

Ten suspected members of a criminal ring arrested after tricking elderly American citizens by phone.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
money cash 88 (photo credit: )
money cash 88
(photo credit: )
Ten suspected members of a criminal ring were arrested on Tuesday by Tel Aviv police's financial crimes unit on suspicion of defrauding US citizens of $2 million dollars. The suspects had their custody extended at a Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. The arrests mark the end of weeks of investigation launched after police located a Ramat Gan office which was used as the headquarters for the criminal operation. Police say a well organized ring placed phone calls to predominantly elderly American citizens and falsely informed them that they had won a large cash prize in a lotto draw. The victims were swindled into giving up their cash after being told that they had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes before receiving the prize. Police say the victims were talked into electronically wiring the cash into fictitious bank accounts. After realizing they had been the victims of a scam, the US citizens complained to police, who traced the bank accounts back to Israel. Tuesday's police raid uncovered lists of thousands of intended future victims, complete with their personal details.