Two men are heading to prison after the Department of Justice revealed they, along with 62 others, defrauded millions of dollars from older Americans over two decades in a nationwide magazine subscription scheme.
Anthony Eugene Moulder, from Fort Myers, Florida, and Abdou-Rahmane Diallo, received sentences for their roles in a staggering $300 million telemarketing fraud operation targeting vulnerable individuals across the nation, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger announced. Both men had previously pleaded guilty.
Dubbed the “magazine scam” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, the scheme has led to the creation of a dedicated webpage for victims to recover stolen funds and share impact statements.
Their sentencing marks a significant step in the department’s 64-person investigation into the over 20-year-long fraud that reportedly affected more than 150,000 victims. The defendants faced charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and violations of the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act of 1994. They hailed from 14 states, Canada, and the Philippines.
Moulder was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, while Diallo received a 7.5-year sentence for two counts of wire fraud.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service dismantled the scheme in 2020. The investigation has resulted in 58 guilty pleas, three individuals found not guilty, and three others convicted at trial, according to court records.
