Bank Imposter Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly Victims of Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
SAN DIEGO / Monday, September 21, 2026 – Franco Fuentes was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison for defrauding elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars by posing as a bank employee and tricking them into surrendering their bank cards, which he then used to make lavish purchases and large cash withdrawals.
Fuentes, a Peruvian national and green card holder, was also ordered to pay victims more than $270,000 and forfeit property seized from his residence, including over $37,000 in cash and a bill-counting machine.
“Fuentes saw elderly victims as easy targets and their bank accounts as his personal ATM—and today he is paying the price for stealing money, dignity and peace of mind,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“The actions of the defendant in this case showed a clear disregard for the harm he was causing innocent people,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said. “We have dedicated teams that are working day after day to help victims of scams just like this, because unfortunately, they happen far too often. Today’s sentencing sends a message to others that we will find and hold you accountable.”
“The defendant shamelessly preyed on older victims, then showered himself with extravagant items at their expense without regard to consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and the San Diego Police Department, along with all of our San Diego Elder Justice Task Force partners, will relentlessly seek justice for this vulnerable population, protecting them from scammers like Fuentes, and helping to safeguard their livelihood.”
In the government’s sentencing memo, a victim who lost $56,000 wrote to the court: “This experience has caused me significant emotional and financial stress. As a 72-year-old woman, I never expected to have to deal with something of this magnitude. I experienced ongoing worry, fear, frustration, and anxiety while trying to understand what had happened, protect my accounts, and work with the bank to resolve the unauthorized activity. The situation disrupted my sense of financial security and left me constantly concerned about whether my personal information and finances were safe. The financial impact and the amount of time and effort required to address this identity theft have been extremely stressful.
Another victim wrote to the court, noting that the defendant “fraudulently obtained my banking information by calling me from a phone line that appeared to have my U.S. Bank caller ID.”
“The financial loss was devastating, but the impact of this crime goes far beyond the money that was taken. I have experienced an unbelievable amount of stress because of what happened. As an elderly person in poor health, this experience has caused me significant worry and emotional distress…I hope the Court understands the lasting impact this crime has had on my life. I believe the defendant is a danger to society because his actions prey upon people's trust and can cause serious harm, especially to vulnerable people.”
In his plea agreement, Fuentes admitted he and his criminal associates called victims and falsely claimed to be bank employees investigating fraud on the victims’ accounts. Fuentes tricked the victims into surrendering their bank cards, which he used to make cash withdrawals and pay for lavish purchases.
Fuentes targeted one 80-year-old victim, sending a rideshare service driver to her house and then using her cards for withdrawals and purchases totaling over $43,000, including $22,000 in purchases at Apple stores. The daughter of that victim addressed the Court at sentencing, describing the significant emotional and psychological impacts on her mother.
In his messages about the fraud with one co-conspirator, the defendant referred to his victims as “vics” and boasted that the “targets are endless.” In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Benjamin J. Cheeks called Fuentes’s conduct an “awful crime” that took advantage of “some of the most vulnerable people in society—people that worked hard in their life.” Judge Cheeks also highlighted Fuentes’s extravagant spending of his victims’ money, including a social media post in which Fuentes bragged about purchasing a $6,000 outfit in New York. The judge further noted that Fuentes had previously received a generous resolution in state court for similar fraud, yet “you did it again and again, and you hurt people.”
This case is being investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah.
If you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr404-BJC
Franco Fuentes Age: 30 Woodland Hills, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
Contact
Kelly Thornton, Director of Media Relations
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California
