Money Launderer for Elder Scam Ring Gets 121 Months

TUCSON, Ariz. — A New York man has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for laundering nearly $1 million for a fraud network that targeted elderly victims across the country, federal prosecutors announced.

Read the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-over-10-years-prison-laundering-proceeds-elder-fraud-scam-network

The sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona in Case No. 24-CR-0419-TUC-SHR, Release No. 2026-188_Seales.

Ivan Wilbur Seales, 58, a resident of New York and a citizen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, is the defendant, according to the release.

Seales was sentenced on November 6, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash, officials reported.

A Jury Conviction, A 121-Month Term, And $855,000 In Restitution

A jury previously found Seales guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the release.

Ivan Wilbur Seales: Sentenced to 121 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, with approximately $855,000 in restitution ordered to victims who suffered a loss.

According to the release, Seales laundered nearly $1 million in proceeds for the network.

He kept a portion of the money for himself, officials reported.

Shell Companies, Crypto Transfers, And Offshore Moves

Investigators established that Seales helped the scammers move the remaining proceeds through a series of financial transactions, according to the release.

Those transactions ran through shell companies, crypto transfers, cash withdrawals, and other transfers sent offshore, officials reported.

The network drew in victims from around the country, including Arizona, according to the release.

Fake Pop-Ups, Phony Charges, And Accounts Said To Be Hacked

According to the release, the scheme targeted elderly victims through phishing attacks, including pop-ups and websites that impersonated trusted banks and technology companies.

Victims were directed to call scammers who falsely claimed to represent legitimate companies such as Apple or Microsoft, officials reported.

Some victims received a phishing email or text message claiming a charge from Geek Squad, PayPal, or an anti-virus company, according to the release.

Those charges never occurred and were sent by the fraudsters to lure victims into the scheme, officials reported.

Once victims called, they were told a legitimate company had mistakenly transferred an over-refunded amount into their bank accounts, and they were instructed to send their own money back, according to the release.

Other victims were told their bank accounts had been hacked or compromised, and at least one victim was told his account was linked to child pornography, officials reported.

Victims were then directed to transfer money to various locations to protect their accounts or to help catch the scammers, according to the release.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the New York State Police conducted the investigation, with support from other state and local law enforcement agencies, officials reported.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona, in Tucson, handled the prosecution, according to the release.

The release states no further court date in the case. The sentence and the restitution order are the outcomes announced.

Anyone who believes they or a family member were targeted by an elder fraud scheme can contact the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Sources

U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona, "New York Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Laundering Proceeds for Elder Fraud Scam Network," November 10, 2026: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-over-10-years-prison-laundering-proceeds-elder-fraud-scam-network