MISSOULA – A 44-year-old Florida man, Eddly Joseph, from Gainesville, was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison and ordered to pay $1,236,470 in restitution to seven victims for his involvement in an India-based computer hacking scheme that targeted an elderly Kalispell woman, announced U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Joseph pleaded guilty to wire fraud in August, and U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided over the sentencing, including two years of supervised release after the prison term.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich emphasized the significance of holding accountable those involved in such fraud schemes. He stated, “Far too often, these internationally-based fraud schemes result in no accountability for those who prey on Montanans. But not this time. Due to the diligent work of the FBI, Joseph was caught and is now going to federal prison for running a predatory scheme by tricking and stealing from elderly victims across the country, including a Kalispell woman.”
The court documents revealed that Glacier Bank alerted the FBI in February about a Montana woman in her 70s, identified as Jane Doe, who fell victim to the scam. The scheme involved convincing victims, including Jane Doe, that they had a computer virus and their bank accounts were vulnerable to hackers. To “safe-keep” their money, Joseph and his accomplices directed victims to withdraw cash and hand it over to prevent hackers from stealing their funds.
Upon discovering the scam, the FBI orchestrated a ruse, indicating that Jane Doe had an additional $50,000 for the fraudsters. When Joseph and others arrived to collect the money, the FBI apprehended them. The scam orchestrated by Joseph and others resulted in a total loss of $1,236,470 for victims across the United States.
U.S. Attorney Laslovich warned against falling victim to similar schemes, stating, “As this case showed, we will turn over every rock to pursue these fraudsters, but the best thing Montanans can do to protect themselves is to not send money to people who randomly call soliciting money due to some kind of fake emergency, such as an alleged virus existing on your computer.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case, with the FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office leading the investigation.
——————————————————–
