A former New Jersey man has been sentenced to prison for running a fake fee scheme that took more than $4.7 million from 33 people.
According to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, the 60-year-old man, identified as Mark Anthony Perez, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. The sentencing was announced this week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey.
Perez, who once lived in Union County, admitted that he operated the fraud from 2012 to 2021. He promised his victims that he could help them receive millions of dollars through inheritance claims, investments, or other legal settlements. However, these claims were completely fake.
To make his stories sound real, Perez told his victims they needed to pay certain “fees” upfront. He said these fees were required for legal services, taxes, or to unlock the supposed funds.
Over the years, his victims sent him large amounts of money, believing they would get a much bigger payout in return. But no money ever came back. In total, Perez received over $4.7 million from 33 people.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Perez used this money for his expenses. He did not invest or use it for any legitimate purpose.
Instead, he tricked people again and again by telling them the money they were expecting was delayed because of new rules, legal problems, or other made-up reasons. This allowed him to keep collecting more “fees” from the same victims.
Officials say Perez went to great lengths to keep up the scam. He would send fake documents and emails to make his story more believable. In many cases, the victims trusted him and sent payments over long periods, thinking the payout would eventually come.
The scam went on for nearly a decade. Some victims lost their savings. Others borrowed money or took out loans to pay the fake fees, expecting a huge return later. In reality, Perez never had any inheritance or investment deal lined up. He simply used their trust to fund his own lifestyle.
Perez was finally arrested and brought to justice after federal investigators uncovered the scheme. He pleaded guilty in federal court in July 2023 and has now been sentenced to 97 months in prison, which is just over 8 years.
In addition to the prison time, Perez has also been ordered to pay $4.7 million in restitution to the people he scammed. The court also added three years of supervised release after his sentence ends. During this time, Perez will be under strict monitoring.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger said in a statement that scams like this are especially harmful because they take advantage of people’s hopes and trust.
He added that the Justice Department will continue to go after people who commit fraud, especially those who target victims over long periods and steal large sums of money.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Newark office, which worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges against Perez. Officials say more cases like this are being investigated, and people should always be cautious before giving money to anyone who promises big returns or hidden fortunes.
Authorities are urging the public to be alert and report any suspicious offers that involve paying upfront for access to large amounts of money. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.