A man from New Jersey admitted to collecting cash and gold bars from elderly victims as part of a fraud conspiracy. Andy R. Miqui-Castillo, 35, of Newark, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.
Miqui-Castillo acknowledged being recruited in October 2023 as a courier for a scheme that targeted elderly individuals. The conspirators falsely claimed to be from financial institutions or government agencies, informing victims that their accounts had been compromised and used for illegal activity. They convinced victims to hand over cash or valuables to prevent further illegal use of their funds.
Miqui-Castillo received addresses from the conspirators, collected cash or valuable items, and then transported or shipped them to co-conspirators in exchange for money. In October and November 2023, he collected or attempted to collect cash and gold bars valued at more than $550,000 from four victims. For his role, he was paid $4,500…