Two US-based mules arrested

This is a good illustration of how acting as a mule can get you into serious trouble. At least one of the women involved in this case essentially considered herself safe, because she was never the one who asked for money--all she did was receive and transfer the money the scammers collected. In reality, it doesn't matter if you don't ask for a cent--if you are helping these thieves, you are still an accomplice, and you can be arrested and charged with some very serious crimes.

These mules appear in more than one topic victim report here at scamwarners, and one of them actually posted here at one point, claiming that she really worked for the military.


http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20892031

A Brighton mother-daughter team stands accused of helping steal more than $1 million from hundreds of women in an elaborate, multinational online dating scam, according to an indictment announced Tuesday by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.

Tracy Vasseur, 40, and her mother, Karen Vasseur, 73, face felony charges of racketeering, money laundering, forgery and theft. The elder Vasseur could face up to 172 years in prison if convicted. Her daughter could face up to 205 years.

For three years, the pair allegedly collected money from 374 women in more than 40 countries for unknown Nigerian bosses.

The scam allegedly worked like this:

Unknown agents would pose as male soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and strike up online romances through online dating sites, e-mail and social networks.

As time passed and the relationships progressed, these "soldiers" would ask for money purportedly to buy a satellite phone so the "couple" could talk or to pay for a visit to the unsuspecting paramour. The scammers sent photos and forged military documents to bolster their cases, according to authorities.

Some women gave tens of thousands of dollars, including an alleged victim in Great Britain who wired a fake soldier nearly $60,000.

That money was wired to Colorado, where the Vasseurs allegedly collected it, took their 10 percent and wired the remainder back to Nigeria, according to a Colorado state Grand Jury indictment handed down today.

Authorities believe the Vasseurs — who didn't solicit money from the alleged victims themselves — laundered their share through 20 personal accounts at local banks. The mother and daughter continued the activity even after being warned in 2011 by Brighton police, according to the indictment.

Tracy Vasseur bonded out of Adams County Jail on Monday. Karen Vasseur, remains in custody. The pair will be prosecuted in Adams County District Court.

Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or [email protected]

How disgusting and Pathetic of them.

This is good to know though. That these petty crimes surely do not pay off!

Welcome TheAlphaPro, I think you missed the core of the report. This activity is not a "petty crime". These women are in serious trouble.

Tracy Vasseur, 40, and her mother, Karen Vasseur, 73, face felony charges of racketeering, money laundering, forgery and theft. The elder Vasseur could face up to 172 years in prison if convicted. Her daughter could face up to 205 years.

This is a warning to anyone who thinks that cooperating with a scammer as a mule is not a serious issue. Working for a scammer can put you in prison for the rest of your natural life.

This was also posted to encourage anyone who knows of a mule to notify the police because with the right evidence and in the right jurisdiction, the law is effective.

^ I'm sorry I didn't mean it sound as it did, I meant it's a shame that other humans would have to go so low as to do illegal actions, I know how serious these crimes are.

And thanks for the welcome

You can read the full indictment here http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/m ... ctment.pdf
It shows the absolutely disgraceful conduct of these women who knew exactly what they were doing. It is obvious they were instrumental if inflicting not only serious financial losses to innocent women but instrumental in causing grief and suffering to their victims. They even helped their Nigerian paymasters in the making of fake profiles to scam yet more women. By any standards they deserve what I hope is coming to them and I hope they never get out of prison. As for the Nigerians, you can see the extent of these fellow criminals activities and the means the frauds were conducted. Now for what ever reason the police took a low key approach to the matter and yet with in Days if not hours for the two it was "business as usual". I for one, am proud of the work I do to help people avoid these activities, and equally as proud of what the rest of you do here as well. It is a hard job and some of my posts are long and demand careful research and take many hours. All time well spent and I am sure all of you here spend at least as equivalent a time on it. So for those of you who wish to see what was going on, do read the full .pdf file I have posted the link of.

They got 12 years AT LEAST! Karen Vasseur who is 73 probably may not see the outside of jail again. The other object, her daughter, will be 53. Victory for decency and a warning to scammers and money mules. http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/08/28/m ... ance-scam/

DENVER (CBS4) – They stole more than $1 million from hundreds of people across the globe and now a Colorado mother and daughter know how long they will spend in prison.

The state attorney general’s office says both Tracy and Karen Vasseur were sentenced to at least 12 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the pair from Brighton were part of a Nigerian Internet romance scam and pretended to be soldiers serving overseas. The fake soldiers would start relationships with victims and then ask for money for travel and other expenses.

“Not only did this mother-daughter duo break the law, they broke hearts worldwide,” Attorney General John Suthers said in a statement. “It is fitting that they received stiff sentences for their unconscionable crimes committed in the name of love and the United States military.”

What would have put the icing on the cake is if the long arm of the law was longer and the main scammer in africa behind it all was arrested and despatched with too!

The total years was actually 27 years as the daughter collected herself an extra 3 years. And that's when they can apply for parole and not get out of prison yet. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23884241

A mother and daughter who used an internet dating scam to steal $1.1m (£700,000) have been jailed for a total of 27 years.
Denver-based Karen Vasseur, 63, and daughter Tracy, 42, tricked victims into thinking they were talking to US service personnel looking for love.
The prolific scammers duped 374 victims in the US and 40 other countries.
"Not only did this mother-daughter duo break the law, they broke hearts worldwide," police said.
"It is fitting that they received stiff sentences for their unconscionable crimes committed in the name of love and the United States military," said Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.
Both women pleaded guilty when arrested last year.
The younger woman faces a 15-year sentence, while her mother was given a 12-year sentence.
Tracy Vasseur received an additional four years for crimes relating to an attempt to gain control of her children's inheritance, and for "attempting to influence a public servant".
Military 'agents'
Colorado authorities said the pair ran an operation which included several other members who have not been caught.
This "staff" would do the leg work of targeting potentially vulnerable people on popular social media sites or dating services.
Tracy Vasseur Tracy Vasseur received the longer sentence for her part in the scam.
From here, they would concoct a story that they were in the US military, and were in need of money for various reasons - the most popular being travel costs, or satellite phones to "talk directly" with someone.
Once a victim appeared ready to pay, they were instructed to transfer funds to the two women who posed as "military agents".
One transaction was as high as $59,000, court documents said.
Although the pair were responsible for administering the scam, the court said the majority of the money was quickly passed on to other accomplices across the world.
Money was most frequently sent to contacts in Nigeria, but also to individuals in the UK, India, UAE and Ecuador.

Of course we had seen them in action here before being caught. I wonder how long it will be before we have a "General John Suthers", who is in Kabul, doing the rounds.
I remind you that people can be out of prison in 15 years for killing someone, and those two caused misery , poverty, broken hearts and mental health issues , probably suicides, and unknown social issues so, for me I hope they manage to stay inside for longer and have difficulty in getting out. I also hope that authorities look at the items posted here and in other fraud warning sites, and see if more serial mules can be caught and stopped. I know we are looking for them. For victims - Ensure your own case notes are in front of the Law Enforcement agencies, and while you may not recover money you will have prevented further scams and taken a small step to beating online fraud

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23884241

A mother and daughter who used an internet dating scam to steal $1.1m (£700,000) have been jailed for a total of 27 years.

Money was most frequently sent to contacts in Nigeria, but also to individuals in the UK, India, UAE and Ecuador.

CNBC Video http://www.cnbc.com/id/101532058

These come in all shapes and sizes. Victims often become criminals with the insidious attention of a scammer who they "love" and often based on a few stolen pictures and some cut and pasted message excrement. Here is one example receiving attention at present and the scammer will get posted shortly.
LA BANQUE POSTAL
CENTER FINANCIER DE MARSEILLE
MLE FRANCOISE ALLAM
LE PINS BLUES D APPARTEMENT 42
272 B AVENUE MICHEL JOURDAN
CANNES LA BOCCA
06150 CANNES
RIB IDENTIFIANT NATIONAL DE COMPTE (RIB National account identifier)
ETABLE 20041
GUICHET 01008
NO DE COMPTE 2481726T029 (Account number)
CLE RIB 58
IBAN IDENTIFIANT INTERNATIONAL DE COMPTE (IBAN International account identifier)
FR 20041
01008
2481726T029
58
BIC IDENTIFIANT INTERNATIONAL DE L'ESSTABLISHMENT (International branch identifier)
PSSTFRPPMAR