SAN DIEGO, CA – Nineteen individuals have been arrested in connection with a large-scale international fraud network accused of scamming more than 500 elderly Americans out of over $40 million, according to the FBI San Diego Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
The arrests followed a coordinated operation on November 5, 2025, led by the FBI’s Elder Justice Task Force and more than 100 law enforcement personnel. The defendants were charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of an international tech support and refund scam targeting seniors.
Investigators say the scheme operated from call centers in India, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, using fake technical support services and refund scams to defraud victims multiple times. U.S.-based participants allegedly laundered millions of dollars in victim funds and funneled the money overseas.
According to court documents, San Diego resident Victor Lee Marion, 41, allegedly directed the U.S. branch of the operation through his business, Mecca Barbershop, which was used to recruit and organize money launderers. Marion and 18 co-conspirators were arrested and are facing federal charges carrying a maximum penalty of up to 40 years in prison.
The investigation was led by the FBI San Diego Elder Justice Task Force, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Border Patrol Tactical Unit, and other state and federal agencies.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is encouraged to contact the FBI at techscam@fbi.gov.
