PITTSBURGH, Pa - A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of Money Laundering Conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 35, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Bary Fischer.In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that an organized crime group based in the Dominican Republic, operated what is commonly referred to as a Grandparent Fraud Scheme. The organized crime group, for a number of years, ran a scam in which they called elderly individuals impersonating a loved one (often a grandchild) and falsely claimed that the grandchild is in a crisis and needed cash quickly, typically to pay bond related to criminal charges. The victims then accessed cash, typically from their financial institutions, and provided the cash to unknowing ride share drivers from companies like Lyft and Uber. The drivers then drove the cash, often across state lines, and delivered the cash to a member of the conspiracy.Bisono Rodriguez participated in the conspiracy by receiving the fraudulently obtained money from the Lyft or Uber drivers, and then laundering the money by depositing it into financial institution or wiring the proceeds to the Dominican Republic knowing that the money was obtained fraudulently.Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 9, 2026.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with the Parma Police Department (Ohio), and six police departments in Western Pennsylvania conducted the investigation leading to prosecution of Bisono Rodriguez. The six police departments are Millcreek Township Police Department, the Grove City Police Department, the Scott Township Police Department, the Fox Chapel Police Department, the Finley Township Police Department, and the Hermitage Police Department.