2 Suffolk Men Coordinated Elder Fraud Mail Schemes: DOJ

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Two men from Suffolk County played a vital role in a mail scheme that targeted the elderly or vulnerable, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday. They were among 15 individuals and companies the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered permanent injunctions against to stop their involvement in fraudulent mailings, the D.O.J. said.

Anthony Kafeiti of Port Jefferson and Steven L. Diaz of Mt. Sinai, along with Charles Kafeiti of Scottsdale, AZ, coordinated the schemes, according to a complaint filed by the United States in November 2018. The above trio, with help from a dozen other people or companies, mailed or helped mail thousands of solicitations disguised as individualized notices that falsely stated recipients had won large sums of money or valuable prizes, but had to pay a fee to claim their winnings, said United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue.

The injunction is meant to end the multi-million dollar mail fraud schemes, as these cases are part of the D.O.J.'s Elder Fraud Initiative.

"These permanent injunctions stop unscrupulous individuals and companies from conducting fraudulent solicitation schemes that targeted the elderly in our district and throughout the country and the world," Donoghue said via press release.

The scheme entailed mailing false solicitations related to three mail fraud schemes that informed people throughout the world they had won multi-million dollar cash prizes but urgently needed to pay a fee to claim their winnings, Donoghue said.

Although victims sent in the requested fees by cash, check or credit card, they did not receive large cash prizes in return, Donoghue said. The complaint alleged that, in the last year, the schemes collectively grossed an estimated $4.8 million in fraudulent proceeds.

According to Donoghue, Drew Wilson, of Vancouver, provided the Kafeitis and Diaz with logistical support while they coordinated the efforts; Dennis Hunsaker, of North Las Vegas, and his company, Digital Matrix International Inc., provided tools that managed lists of recipients and lists of respondents; Carmine Maietta and Elizabeth Maietta, of Westbury, opened and processed victim returns; and a German corporation, SixEvolution GmbH, and its operator, David Anthony, processed victim payments.

"The department will vigorously pursue those who peddle false promises of wealth," Jody Hunt, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, said. "I look forward to the day when American consumers no longer find fraudulent mailings in their mailboxes."

The permanent injunctions were issued after the District Court granted the government’s request for a temporary restraining order in November 2018. The injunctions ban the schemers from sending fraudulent solicitations; receiving, handling, or opening any victim mail responding to solicitations; and using or benefiting from lists of victims who previously responded to solicitations, Donoghue said.

The schemers are required to tell the government of any interest or participation in any entity involved in mass-mail marketing, and of their use of any U.S.-based mailboxes, Donoghue said. The injunction also allows the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to open mail that was detained by law enforcement and return payments to the victims of the schemes.