Hayward Woman Pleads Guilty In $36M Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Victims

HAYWARD, CA — A Hayward woman pleaded guilty to her part in a $36 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Juliet Mora, 42, pleaded guilty on Sept. 14 to money laundering as part of a sophisticated transnational fraud operation that stole more than $36 million from more 400 mostly elderly people, prosecutors said.

Mora and her cohorts pretended to be attorneys who reached out to elderly timeshare owners with the promise that they were entitled to restitution and payments. The victims signed fake agreements and bogus non-disclosure agreements, then paid fees to the criminals. The victims sent checks and wire transfers to shell companies used to launder the money.

Mora got involved in the fraud in August 2021, according to prosecutors, when she created shell companies and received over $1.5 million in victim funds. Ultimately prosecutors linked over $2.7 million in stolen money to Mora.

Mora then moved to Nicaragua, where she became an organizer within the fraud scheme, communicating with U.S. based co-conspirators to carry out the grifts. She also used fake emails of fake paralegals to communicate with the victims.

She was arrested after arriving at Boston Logan International Airport in December 2025.

A total of 15 people were indicted across four states and more than $2.1 million was seized by authorities. According to prosecutors, several defendants fled to Mexico and Central America, though several of them were arrested and returned to the U.S. Three are still at large.

Mora is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14 and is facing up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered, whichever is greater.

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