From the first light of dawn, on the delegation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rome, the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Rome, supported by the territorially competent commands in the province of Naples, carried out an important operation against a criminal association dedicated to scams and extortion against the elderly.
The action, coordinated by the investigating judge of the Court of Rome, led to the issuing of an order of precautionary measures against 17 people: 7 were transferred to prison, while 10 were placed under house arrest. Among these, 13 are seriously suspected of belonging to the criminal association (art. 416 of the criminal code), while the other 4 are accused of having participated in the execution of the attacks.
The investigations, conducted by the Operational Unit of the Compagnia di Roma Trionfale under the direction of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rome (Serious Crimes against Property and Narcotics Group), made it possible to collect serious circumstantial elements regarding the existence of a criminal association with based in Naples. This organization, headed by members of a specific family, was dedicated to the commission of a series of crimes, mainly scams and, occasionally, extortion, against elderly people living in Rome, Lazio and other Italian regions. The investigations documented 80 scam episodes that occurred between 13 September 2022 and 20 March 2023 in the provinces of Rome, Naples, Latina and Viterbo.
The gang’s modus operandi involved a “telephone operator” posing as a postal worker, an insurer, a lawyer or a policeman, and contacting the victims with deceptive pretexts: it was often said that a family member had to pay off a debt to collect a package or which had caused a road accident. The scammer stated that the insurance had expired and that, to “fix” things, it was necessary to hand over money or jewellery. Subsequently, an accomplice would show up at the victims’ home to collect the money or jewels, leaving the elderly with the bitter discovery of the scam only after contacting their family members.
During the operation, the Carabinieri also carried out 10 arrests in flagrante delicto for scams committed in Rome and the province, recovering and returning the stolen goods to the victims. The searches, still ongoing, led to the discovery of a detailed manual with instructions for telephone operators on how to carry out the scams, as well as cash, hundreds of telephone cards, dozens of mobile phones and a large quantity of jewellery.
The investigative activity made it possible to identify the role of each suspect. The operational “batteries”, made up of two people, left Naples every day in rented cars and selected the victims through searches on the internet or on the white pages. The victims were contacted by telephone operators and subsequently reached by “couriers”.
The operation represents an important step forward in the fight against scams against the elderly, which is unfortunately a growing phenomenon. The Carabinieri continue to work to guarantee security and justice, protecting the most vulnerable sections of the population.
It is underlined that the proceeding is currently in the preliminary investigation phase, therefore, the suspects are to be considered innocent until a possible final sentence.
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