Wire Fraud Orange County

An Anaheim man who bilked 7,500 people nationwide out of more than $2.5 million in a telemarketing scam has been sentenced to 37 months in prison, the U.S. attorney's office said Tuesday. Roland Braff Berame, 40, also was ordered this week to pay a $7,500 fine and perform 500 hours of community service. The former president of Prizewinners Inc. of Long Beach pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Assistant U.S. Atty. Richard Robinson said.

Two Orange County men, each accused of operating a telemarketing scheme that targeted the elderly, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in federal court in Santa Ana, federal regulators said Friday. Wayne Lewis Guenther, 31, of Newport Beach admitted that he called people and pretended to be affiliated with the Nation's Missing Children Organization, said Assistant U.S. Atty. S. Robert Raskin Jr.

Two Orange County men, each accused of operating a telemarketing scheme that targeted the elderly, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in federal court in Santa Ana, federal regulators said Friday. Wayne Lewis Guenther, 31, of Newport Beach admitted that he called people and pretended to be affiliated with the Nation's Missing Children Organization, said Assistant U.S. Atty. S. Robert Raskin Jr.

An Anaheim man who bilked 7,500 people nationwide out of more than $2.5 million in a telemarketing scam has been sentenced to 37 months in prison, the U.S. attorney's office said Tuesday. Roland Braff Berame, 40, also was ordered this week to pay a $7,500 fine and perform 500 hours of community service. The former president of Prizewinners Inc. of Long Beach pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Assistant U.S. Atty. Richard Robinson said.

Federal authorities arrested an Orange County man and accused him of bilking elderly people out of $70,000 with claims that he represented nationally known publishers' sweepstakes. Gary Maddux, 36, of Santa Ana Heights was charged with one count of wire fraud at a federal court hearing in Los Angeles. He was held without bail pending his arraignment Dec. 15.

Orange County sheriff's officials are warning homeowners in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano about an apparent phone scam by a man posing as a termite inspector. "He is telling people that termite inspection is required by law, which it isn't," said Lt. Bob Rivas. "Then he tells them to leave their key outside someplace or in the mailbox, and adds that the homeowner will be fined if they fail to comply." "We think the motive is probably burglary," he said.

Federal authorities arrested an Orange County man and accused him of bilking elderly people out of $70,000 with claims that he represented nationally known publishers' sweepstakes. Gary Maddux, 36, of Santa Ana Heights was charged with one count of wire fraud at a federal court hearing in Los Angeles. He was held without bail pending his arraignment Dec. 15.

Orange County sheriff's officials are warning homeowners in Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano about an apparent phone scam by a man posing as a termite inspector. "He is telling people that termite inspection is required by law, which it isn't," said Lt. Bob Rivas. "Then he tells them to leave their key outside someplace or in the mailbox, and adds that the homeowner will be fined if they fail to comply." "We think the motive is probably burglary," he said.