Latest news with #GarethWest
Global News
09-07-2025
- Global News
RCMP arrest alleged ringleader of massive $21M grandparent scam
The RCMP has confirmed they have arrested the alleged ringleader of the grandparent scam that defrauded American seniors of $21 million. Gareth West, 38, was arrested on July 4 in St-Colomban, Que., in the Laurentians region, a statement from the RCMP confirmed. Authorities say he did not resist arrest. He appeared in the Court of Quebec on Saturday and in Superior Court on Monday. He is currently being held at the Rivière-des-Prairies detention facility, and 'at the request of the Homeland Security Investigation, (West) should possibly be extradited to the United States,' the statement says. West, who went by the names 'Buddy' or 'Muscles,' was among 25 Canadians charged in the U.S. in connection with the massive, sophisticated scam that stole millions from elderly individuals in Vermont and more than 40 other states. Story continues below advertisement On a bio on his social media, West lists himself as a 'founder & CEO of West Developments, Real Estate Builder & Health Enthusiast,' and includes a link to his 'Journey of Self-Discovery' YouTube video. According to the indictment, between the summer of 2021 and June 4, 2024, the suspects engaged in the scam that involved calls where they pretended to be an elderly victim's relative — most often a grandchild — claiming to have been arrested following a car crash and in need of bail money. The calls were made from call centres in and around Montreal. Authorities say others posed as lawyers representing the elderly victim's relative and told them there was a gag order in place to prevent the senior from telling anyone about their family member's supposed arrest. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The victims were then convinced to hand over money to an individual who would visit their home, falsely posing as a bail bondsman. Authorities say the funds were then transferred to Canada by cash delivery and financial transactions, including via cryptocurrency. The indictment says the use of crypto obscured the source of the money and the identities of the suspects. 'On June 4, 2024, when law enforcement in Canada executed search warrants at several call centers, many of the defendants were found in the act of placing phone calls to elderly victims in Virginia,' the U.S. Department of Justice said in its statement. Story continues below advertisement A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging all 25 suspects for their alleged participation in the scam on Feb. 20. Nearly all of the individuals were arrested in Canada, mostly in Montreal, on March 4. At the time, two remained at large, including West. The indictment alleges the call centres were managed by Gareth West, a.k.a. 'Buddy' or 'Muscles,' 38, from Burlington, Ont., Usman Khalid, a.k.a. 'Paul' and 'Pauly,' 36, from Les Coteaux, Que., Andrew Tatto, a.k.a. 'Chevy' and 'Truck,' 43, from Pierrefonds, Que., Stephan Moskwyn, a.k.a. 'HK,' 42, from Pierrefonds, Que., and Ricky Ylimaki, a.k.a. 'Ruffles,' 31, from Île-Perrot, Que. West and the four others were also charged with conspiring to commit money laundering. They could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted, and the remaining defendants could face up to 20 years. If found guilty, the actual sentences for each person would be determined by various sentencing factors. List of the 25 Canadians charged Gareth West, a.k.a. 'Buddy' and 'Muscles,' (38 – Burlington, Ont.) Usman Khalid, a.k.a. 'Paul' and 'Pauly,' (36 – Les Coteaux, Que.) Andrew Tatto, a.k.a. 'Chevy' and 'Truck,' (43 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Stephan Moskwyn, a.k.a. 'HK,' (42 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Ricky Ylimaki, a.k.a. 'Ruffles,' (31 – Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Que.) Richard Frischman, a.k.a. 'Styx,' (31 – Montreal) Adam Lawrence, a.k.a. 'Carter,' (41 – Lasalle, Que.) Michael Filion, a.k.a. 'Elvis,' (45 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Jimmy Ylimaki, a.k.a. 'Coop,' (35 – Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Que., remains at large) Nicolas Gonzalez, a.k.a. 'Brady,' (27 – Kirkland, Que.) Ryan Melanson, a.k.a. 'Parker,' (27 – Montreal) Joy Kalafatidis, a.k.a. 'Blondie,' (31 – Pointe-Claire, Que.) David Arcobelli, a.k.a. 'Phil,' (36 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Jonathan Massouras, a.k.a. 'Borze,' (35 – Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Que.) Nicholas Shiomi, a.k.a. 'Keanu,' (42 – Montreal) Antonio Iannacci, a.k.a. 'DJ,' (33 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Jonathan Ouellet, a.k.a. 'Sunny,' (29 – Saint-Eustache, Que.) Kassey-Lee Lankford, a.k.a. 'Lex,' (28 – Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.) Sara Burns, a.k.a. 'Ginger,' (31 – Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Que.) Justin Polenz, a.k.a. 'Happy,' (34 – Montreal) Ryan Thibert, a.k.a. 'Toast,' (37 – Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.) Michael Farella, a.k.a. 'Honda,' (29 – Sainte-Geneviève, Que.) Sebastian Guenole, a.k.a. 'Tweeter,' (30 – Pierrefonds, Que.) Ryan Bridgman, a.k.a. 'Clint,' (37 – Deux-Montagnes, Que.) Stephanie-Marie Samaras, a.k.a. 'North' (29 – Laval, Que.) Story continues below advertisement
CTV News
08-07-2025
- CTV News
‘What right does he have to do what he did?' Absentee landlord and alleged ringleader of grandparent scam arrested in Quebec
'Lighting. And then there was light. And we also have water.' 'No problem,' said Wendy Nichols. The senior citizen has learned to relish the small things. She and dozens of other tenants at 14 Holland Street in St. Thomas were caught in the crossfire of an international manhunt for their former landlord. 'I'm very happy about him being arrested, because what right does he have to do what he did?' she asked. The 'he' she's talking about is Gareth West, the former landlord of her building. 070825 Gareth West's website: The self-described real estate builder and investment coach also happens to be the alleged ringleader of a sophisticated grandparent scam in the United States. West was arrested last Friday in Quebec. The 38 year old from Burlington, Ontario was among 25 Canadians charged by U.S. authorities for allegedly defrauding seniors in Vermont and 40 other states. West had been on the run since March, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Vermont. 'And the lies,' exclaimed Nichols. 'He came to my door, lied to my face, he told me he was a Christian man. Tried to buy me out up there,' she said. 070825 Wendy Nichols, tenant of 14 Holland Street, St. Thomas. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) For tenants of the Holland Street three-storey walk-up, the trouble began when garbage started piling up outside the building this past spring. Then, for a brief period in June, the hydro and water were shut off due to unpaid bills, before the city intervened and had the utilities restored. 'That was very stressful,' said tenant Kim Doxtator, who uses a breathing machine. 'The hydro got shut off, the water got shut off. Even though that was only a few hours, for a lot of our tenants, that was a long time,' she said. Meanwhile, the experiences of tenants at a London apartment are all too similar to those of the tenants at 14 Holland Street in St. Thomas. 'He just came here one day and tried to con everybody by handing them $20,000 to move out,' said senior citizen Dennis Johnston, who lives at 308 Egerton Street in London. Tenants at this building also had Gareth West as their landlord, until he disappeared earlier this year. 070825 308 Egerton Street, London. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) 'We found out about Gareth's alleged grandparent scam back in about June this year, when our hot-water heater gave out and left us without hot water for about a week and a half,' said tenant Andrew Foster, who lives at 308 Egerton with his partner and children. West's properties in London and St. Thomas have since been taken over by Mortgage company, Richmond Advisory Services. In the meantime, he is being held at a detention centre in Quebec pending a request for extradition to the U.S. by the Department of Homeland Security.
Toronto Sun
07-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Montreal man arrested in $30-million grandparent scam
Gareth West presented himself as successful real estate developer; U.S. authorities allege he's fraudster Published Jul 07, 2025 • Last updated 22 minutes ago • 3 minute read Gareth West presents himself on social media as a real estate developer and fitness influencer. U.S. prosecutors say he led a fraud ring that stole millions from elderly Americans. Instagram/westdevelopments A man who presented himself on social media as a successful Montreal real estate developer has been arrested for his alleged role in a grandparent scam that U.S. authorities say stole almost $30 million from elderly Americans. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Gareth West, 45, appeared in Montreal Superior Court on Monday morning, as U.S. authorities seek his extradition to face fraud and money laundering charges. He was arrested in the St-Colomban area, near Mirabel, early on Friday afternoon, said RCMP Cpl. Érique Gasse, adding that West offered no resistance when he was arrested by emergency response team officers. West, who is currently being held at the Rivière-des-Prairies detention centre, had been sought by authorities for months. In March, 23 other alleged members of the Montreal-based scam network that West is alleged to have led were arrested at the request of U.S. authorities who were seeking their extradition. According to an indictment filed by federal prosecutors in Vermont, the scam ran for three years and stole millions of dollars a year from seniors across the U.S. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. West, also known as 'Buddy' and 'Muscles,' according to the indictment, is alleged to have managed a network of call centres in the Montreal area with four other members of the conspiracy. At those call centres, the indictment says, members of the conspiracy (referred to a 'openers') would call elderly victims, impersonating a loved one. 'Usually, these 'openers' falsely claimed the elderly victim's relative, typically a grandchild, had been arrested following a car crash and needed money for bail,' the document reads. 'Elderly victims were often told that there was a 'gag order' in place to prevent the elderly victim from telling anyone about their family member's supposed arrest.' U.S. authorities allege the scheme used technology to make it seem like the calls were coming from within the U.S. and set up a 1-888 number for a fake law firm called 'Palmer & Associates.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After a potential victim had been identified, they would be handed over to a 'closer,' who pretended to be their loved one's lawyer and would convince them to give money to 'to an individual falsely posing as a bail bondsman' who would come to the victim's home. On other occasions, the conspiracy used drivers from a ride-hailing service to pick up the money or would have people mail the cash to addresses in the U.S. 'West and his associates led a transnational criminal enterprise with the sole intent of defrauding hundreds of retirees of their life savings by preying on their emotions and deceiving them into thinking that their loved ones were in peril.,' Thomas Demeo, acting special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation's Boston Field Office, said in a March news release. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. On social media, West presented himself as a Montreal property developer, describing himself as 'the man behind those beautiful luxurious homes' in a post on the Instagram page of his company, West Developments, which claims to have built at least four homes in Beaconsfield and Île-Perrot. West also offered real estate investment and design 'coaching' for $1,000 an hour. On a personal Instagram, he presented himself as a fitness influencer, frequently posting from gyms as he travelled to Dubai, Columbia, Austria, Italy and Thailand. Those personal posts appear to have stopped in May 2024. A little less than a year later, police would raid three call centres in Vaudreuil-Dorion and Pointe-Claire, where U.S. prosecutors say officers caught members of the conspiracy in the act of calling American seniors. West and his co-accused are scheduled to return to court on July 17, according to the federal Justice Department. He has been charged with attempt and conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering conspiracy. In March, U.S. authorities said one other member of the alleged conspiracy, Jimmy Ylimaki, remained at large. Toronto Blue Jays Canada Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors
Montreal Gazette
07-07-2025
- Montreal Gazette
Montreal man arrested in $30-million grandparent scam
By A man who presented himself on social media as a successful Montreal real estate developer has been arrested for his alleged role in a grandparent scam that U.S. authorities say stole almost $30 million from elderly Americans. Gareth West, 45, appeared in Montreal Superior Court on Monday morning, as U.S. authorities seek his extradition to face fraud and money laundering charges. He was arrested in the St-Colomban area, near Mirabel, early on Friday afternoon, said RCMP Cpl. Érique Gasse, adding that West offered no resistance when he was arrested by emergency response team officers. West, who is currently being held at the Rivière-des-Prairies detention centre, had been sought by authorities for months. In March, 23 other alleged members of the Montreal-based scam network that West is alleged to have led were arrested at the request of U.S. authorities who were seeking their extradition. According to an indictment filed by federal prosecutors in Vermont, the scam ran for three years and stole millions of dollars a year from seniors across the U.S. West, also known as 'Buddy' and 'Muscles,' according to the indictment, is alleged to have managed a network of call centres in the Montreal area with four other members of the conspiracy. At those call centres, the indictment says, members of the conspiracy (referred to a 'openers') would call elderly victims, impersonating a loved one. 'Usually, these 'openers' falsely claimed the elderly victim's relative, typically a grandchild, had been arrested following a car crash and needed money for bail,' the document reads. 'Elderly victims were often told that there was a 'gag order' in place to prevent the elderly victim from telling anyone about their family member's supposed arrest.' U.S. authorities allege the scheme used technology to make it seem like the calls were coming from within the U.S. and set up a 1-888 number for a fake law firm called 'Palmer & Associates.' After a potential victim had been identified, they would be handed over to a 'closer,' who pretended to be their loved one's lawyer and would convince them to give money to 'to an individual falsely posing as a bail bondsman' who would come to the victim's home. On other occasions, the conspiracy used drivers from a ride-hailing service to pick up the money or would have people mail the cash to addresses in the U.S. 'West and his associates led a transnational criminal enterprise with the sole intent of defrauding hundreds of retirees of their life savings by preying on their emotions and deceiving them into thinking that their loved ones were in peril.,' Thomas Demeo, acting special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation's Boston Field Office, said in a March news release. On social media, West presented himself as a Montreal property developer, describing himself as 'the man behind those beautiful luxurious homes' in a post on the Instagram page of his company, West Developments, which claims to have built at least four homes in Beaconsfield and Île-Perrot. West also offered real estate investment and design 'coaching' for $1,000 an hour. On a personal Instagram, he presented himself as a fitness influencer, frequently posting from gyms as he travelled to Dubai, Columbia, Austria, Italy and Thailand. Those personal posts appear to have stopped in May 2024. A little less than a year later, police would raid three call centres in Vaudreuil-Dorion and Pointe-Claire, where U.S. prosecutors say officers caught members of the conspiracy in the act of calling American seniors. West and his co-accused are scheduled to return to court on July 17, according to the federal Justice Department. He has been charged with attempt and conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering conspiracy. In March, U.S. authorities said one other member of the alleged conspiracy, Jimmy Ylimaki, remained at large.
New York Post
05-07-2025
- New York Post
Ringleader of a $30-million-dollar grandparent scam network finally arrested
The ringleader of a $30-million-dollar scam network that preyed on seniors across a staggering 46 states has finally been arrested and now faces decades in prison for the alleged fraud. Gareth West of Canada was taken in custody Friday for the scamming ring, in which callers phoned the older Americans, pretending they were their grandchildren who had been arrested or hurt and were desperate for cash, according to the Economic Times. The worried elders were pressured to act fast and not tell other family members about the dire situation. The scammers would then connect the victims to phony lawyers or bail agents and facilitate getting the money, even using ride-share services or couriers, the outlet reported. Advertisement West, who was taken into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the request of US officials, hired dozens of people to help him with the intricate scam, with operated from call centers in the Montreal area and spoofed American phone numbers. Under the guise of being a successful Montreal real estate developer, West allegedly used the money he racked up from the scams for his high-end lifestyle that included luxury cars, properties and travel. Gareth West of Canada was the mastermind behind a scamming ring that preyed on senior citizens. Advertisement The Royal Canadian Mounted Police apprehended West after he eluded arrest for months. Elena_Alex – In all, 23 people who were part of the scam had been arrested in the months before the RCMP, working with US Homeland Security Investigations, the IRS and provincial police, were able to nab West, authorities said. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and can face up to 40 years in federal prison.
