U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe | U.S. Department of Justice
A Peruvian national, David Cornejo Fernandez, has been extradited to the United States and arraigned in a Miami federal court. He faces charges related to facilitating fraud schemes through Peruvian call centers that targeted Spanish-speaking consumers in the U.S., as announced by the Justice Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Cornejo, 36, is charged with wire fraud, extortion, and conspiracy. Arrested on May 17 by Peruvian authorities following a U.S. extradition request, he has been incarcerated since then.
The indictment states that from November 2012 to June 2019, Cornejo provided technology such as Internet-based telephone lines and caller-ID spoofing services to fraudulent call centers. These centers made deceptive calls to Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S., falsely offering prizes like tablets with English courses. Victims were later pressured into making payments under threats of legal consequences or harm to their immigration status.
Cornejo allegedly supplied his co-conspirators with software and training to impersonate government officials convincingly. This included manipulating caller IDs to appear as if calls originated from U.S. federal agencies or law enforcement. Recordings resembling those from real U.S. courts and agencies were used to bolster these threats.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida stated: “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton added: “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will pursue and prosecute transnational criminals who seek to take advantage of vulnerable U.S. consumers.”
Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of USPIS Miami Division remarked: “Today’s initial appearance of David Cornejo Fernandez is strong evidence of the dedication between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida who will stop at nothing to bring those who victimize our citizens to justice.”
Cornejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted, with sentencing determined by a federal district court judge based on guidelines and statutory factors.
The case was investigated by USPIS with assistance from various agencies including the Peruvian National Police and prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorney Carolyn Rice.
The Justice Department continues efforts against similar crimes targeting Spanish-speaking residents in the U.S., urging victims over age 60 experiencing financial fraud to contact its National Elder Fraud Hotline for support.
More information on elder protection initiatives can be found on related Justice Department websites.
