Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that hacker Vinoth Ponmaran was sentenced to seven years in prison for a scam that targeted seniors through fake technical support.
This conspiracy, which targeted elderly victims through remote access to their computers, convincing them to pay for nonexistent services , generated over $6 million from approximately 6,500 victims.
The complex fraud scheme was revealed
From March 2015 to July 2018, Ponmaran served as a central member of a criminal fraud operating in the US and India. The hackers primarily targeted senior citizens in the US and Canada, including the Southern District of New York.
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According to reports from the Justice Department, the ring used deceptive tactics, such as displaying pop-ups on victims' computers, claiming that their systems were infected with malware.
These pop-ups instructed victims to call a specific phone number to supposedly receive technical support assistance.
These windows often threatened serious consequences, such as complete data loss, if victims restarted or shut down their computers.
Some pop-ups even included unauthorized use of well-known technology company logos, attempting to prove they were legitimate. By convincing victims that their computers were at risk, victims paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars for nonexistent repair services.
In reality, the supposed technicians were running free antivirus tools online . At the same time, the pop-ups themselves caused computers to freeze, further convincing victims to seek help.
The role and consequences of Ponmaran
Vinoth Ponmaran, a leader of the fraud ring based in India, operated a call center that provided fake computer repair services in India.
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In addition, he hired accomplices in the US to create fake corporate entities and open bank accounts in order to collect the proceeds from the fraud.
In addition, Ponmaran laundered the proceeds of criminal activities, leading his accomplices to deposit money into accounts in India and face penalties in the U.S.
His co-defendants, Romana Leyva and Ariful Haque, were convicted in 2022 and one of them received a 100-month prison sentence, while he was ordered to forfeit $4,679,586.93 and pay restitution of $2,707,882.91.
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The second defendant was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, with a fine of $38,886.32 and restitution of $470,672.16.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized the seriousness of Vinoth Ponmaran's actions, stating: "Vinoth Ponmaran was the leader of a sophisticated fraud scheme that affected over 6,000 victims, including seniors. Today's sentencing sends a clear message: Those who exploit vulnerable people for financial gain will face serious consequences."
The U.S. Attorney's Office's Complex Fraud and Cybercrime Unit took over the case, with Assistant Attorney General Michael D. Neff leading the prosecution.
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The New York City Bureau of Homeland Security's El Dorado Task Force, in collaboration with the city's police department, played a pivotal role in the investigation, highlighting the collective effort to bring justice to the victims of this extensive fraud scheme.
Source: cybersecuritynews
