by Guy Page

Gareth West, the alleged ringleader of a vast international network of scammers accused of defrauding American seniors – including Vermonters – out of $30 million, was arrested Friday, July 3 in Quebec.

The arrest is the culmination of months of investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney Office for Vermont, and follows a February indictment of West and his suspected henchmen. 

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as reported by CBC, West was apprehended Friday in Saint-Colomban, about 70 kilometers northeast of Montreal, on behalf of U.S. investigators who have charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

RCMP emergency response officers — a specialized unit trained for high-risk situations — arrested West outside a residence. He did not resist.

West appeared in court Saturday and again Monday. He remains in custody as extradition proceedings are expected to continue later this month.

West, also known by aliases “Buddy” and “Muscles,” is one of 25 Canadian nationals named in a sweeping federal indictment unsealed by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont. The indictment, returned on February 20, charges the defendants with participation in a sophisticated “Grandparent Scam” that spanned more than 40 states, including Vermont, and targeted elderly victims with false claims that a loved one was jailed and in urgent need of bail money.

All but two defendants were arrested during coordinated law enforcement raids in Canada on March 4. West’s arrest was initially outstanding until his capture in Saint-Colomban. Jimmy Ylimaki, 35, of Quebec, remains at large.

Fraud based in Montreal call centers

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office indictment, the scheme operated from 2021 through mid-2024, with phone calls placed from call centers around Montreal. Scammers posed as distressed grandchildren or attorneys, falsely telling elderly victims that a loved one had been arrested and urgently needed bail. Victims were then directed to hand over thousands of dollars to fake “bail bondsmen” who arrived at their homes.

Funds were laundered through couriers, financial transactions, and cryptocurrency to obscure their origin. According to investigators, West and four others — Usman Khalid, Andrew Tatto, Stephan Moskwyn, and Ricky Ylimaki — managed the call centers and coordinated the flow of funds.

When Canadian police executed search warrants at multiple locations in June 2024, several defendants were caught in the act of calling victims in Virginia.

A transnational operation

The case is being prosecuted in Vermont as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program and is the result of an extensive cross-border investigation.

“While the transnational criminal conspiracy described in the indictment preyed on vulnerable victims throughout the United States, these charges are the result of painstaking investigatory work,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher.

U.S. authorities worked closely with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and IRS Criminal Investigation, along with Canadian counterparts including the Sûreté du Québec and RCMP.

“This is a prime example of international collaboration,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of HSI New England. “These individuals are accused of an elaborate scheme using fear to extort millions of dollars from victims who believed they were helping loved ones in trouble.”

IRS-CI Acting Special Agent Thomas Demeo added, “West and his associates led a transnational criminal enterprise… deceiving retirees into thinking their loved ones were in peril.”

Charges and potential penalties

West and the four other alleged ringleaders face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. The remaining defendants face up to 20 years each. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

An additional nine individuals have previously been charged in Vermont in connection to the scam, including suspects residing in the U.S., Canada, and China.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nate Burris and Michelle Arra are leading the prosecution.

Help for victims

Anyone who believes they or a loved one may have been affected by this scam can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11, a free service operated by the U.S. Department of Justice.