A Canadian citizen extradited from Panama, Stefano Zanetti, was sentenced on May 4 to 188 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine and $780,870 in restitution for his role in an international elder fraud scheme, according to United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
The case highlights the significant financial and emotional harm caused by schemes targeting elderly victims. Prosecutors say the Department of Justice is committed to using all available resources to pursue individuals who exploit vulnerable community members.
“Zanetti and his co-conspirators inflicted severe financial and emotional injury upon numerous elderly victims and their families through this scheme,” said United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “This prosecution and the sentence imposed confirm that the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will use all of the resources at our disposal to investigate, identify, and bring to justice those who prey upon vulnerable members of our community, whether these predators are located in the United States or abroad.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel of Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia said: “Preying on seniors by exploiting their love for family—through false claims of emergencies involving their grandchildren—is a particularly cruel form of fraud. HSI, working alongside the Pennsylvania State Police, the Bethel Park Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will track down and disrupt these transnational schemes and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
According to information presented in court, Zanetti led a conspiracy that contacted elderly victims across Pittsburgh and other parts of the United States with false claims that a family member had been detained during legal proceedings. Victims were instructed to withdraw cash for bail payments that were then collected at their homes by couriers involved in the conspiracy. Through his plea agreement, Zanetti accepted responsibility for causing between $1.5 million and $3.5 million in losses.
Authorities report that three-man crews reporting directly to Zanetti traveled twice from Canada—once in September 2021 and again in February 2022—to collect money from victims as part of this operation. All six crew members have since been convicted along with two additional conspirators extradited from Panama; further indictments were issued against other Canadian nationals linked with call centers involved.
Before sentencing Zanetti, Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan commented on his central role within what he described as a complicated fraud executed with “perfect knowledge” about its operations while noting both emotional tolls on victims as well as significant financial damages.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel prosecuted this case with support from Homeland Security Investigations along with state police agencies.
