Raymond Jacquez. Photo provided by Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announced the arrest of Raymond Jacquez, 26, for one count of third-degree Conspiracy to commit Theft by Deception, one count of second-degree Conspiracy to commit Impersonation nd one count of second-degree insurance fraud.
The arrest was made by the Financial Crimes/ Insurance Fraud Unit of the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
The prosecutor’s office said Jacquez is alleged to be the leader of a network which committed telephone bail scams in Florida, Maryland, Vermont and Washington State.
Victims received telephone calls from someone claiming to be a relative who was arrested or a lawyer working for the relative. The victims were urgently asked to wire money to a bank account in Paterson, New Jersey, to post bail for the relative.
The scam resulted innumerous senior citizens wiring tens of thousands of dollars to bank accounts controlled by Jacquez and his co-conspirators, authorities said.
The victims later found out that the story was fictitious and their relative was not in jail. I
n an unrelated scheme, Jacquez is also charged with making a fraudulent insurance claim in connection with an automobile accident.
These investigations remain active and ongoing.
Senior citizens are cautioned not to send money to unknown third parties without checking directly with relatives.
The second degree charges have a sentencing range from five to ten years in prison. The third degree charges have a sentencing range between three to five years in prison.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about these incidents to contact the tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org.