Edward Rosario-Canela, a 48-year-old resident of the Bronx, New York, has been sentenced to a year and one day in prison for his involvement in a “grandparents scam” that targeted elderly victims across the United States, including Connecticut. U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala in Hartford sentenced Rosario-Canela on Tuesday, ordering an additional three years of supervised release and restitution payments totaling $656,000.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, Rosario-Canela played the role of a “money mule” in a scheme where fraudsters impersonated victims’ grandchildren, convincing the elderly to send money for supposed emergencies. Rosario-Canela would then collect packages of cash from victims and forward the funds to conspirators in the Dominican Republic, receiving a fee for his role.
Rosario-Canela had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in November 2022. He is scheduled to begin his prison sentence on September 16.
In a related investigation, Rosario-Canela was arrested alongside Henry Mercedes in Monroe, Connecticut, in November 2019. Police discovered that the men were collecting packages of cash sent by victims at vacant homes listed for sale. Inside the packages were $18,900 and $23,900 in cash. Surveillance and investigation revealed that these cash sums were proceeds from the same scam targeting elderly grandparents.
Authorities urge anyone with relevant information about similar scams to contact their local law enforcement agencies. Rosario-Canela’s state charges connected to the Monroe case remain pending.