Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Dominican national accused of laundering proceeds from a large-scale elder fraud scheme was extradited to the United States and appeared in federal court in Boston on March 18. Gerardo Heriberto Nuñez Nuñez, 42, was arrested in August 2025 in the Dominican Republic at the request of U.S. authorities and is charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy.
The case centers on an alleged transnational call center operation based in the Dominican Republic that targeted elderly victims across the United States. According to charging documents, English-speaking employees of the call center carried out so-called "grandparent scams," contacting seniors and convincing them that their grandchildren or other close relatives were in urgent trouble and needed money. The investigation identified over 400 victims with an average age of 84, including at least 50 in Massachusetts, resulting in more than $5 million in losses.
Prosecutors allege that Nuñez Nuñez laundered illicit proceeds from these scams back to the Dominican Republic by providing access to bank accounts under business names and arranging for cash deliveries through runners within the United States. He allegedly charged a fee of approximately eight to ten percent for transmitting scam proceeds overseas.
Charges against Nuñez Nuñez and twelve others involved with the call center or as runners were unsealed in August 2025. Authorities encourage anyone who believes they may be a victim of this or similar elder fraud schemes to contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Suspected fraud can also be reported through the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center.
If convicted, Nuñez Nuñez faces up to twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the amount laundered—whichever is greater. He would also be subject to deportation after serving any sentence imposed. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge according to U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said substantial assistance came from multiple agencies including the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Dominican National Police, División Especial de Investigación del Crimen Organizado Internacional (DEICROI), Central de Investigaciones Criminales (DICRIM), and Ministerio Publico. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb is prosecuting the case.
Authorities remind that all details contained in charging documents are allegations and that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
