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Western Union Remission Fund Distributes $40 Million to Victims in the Caribbean and the United States, DOJ Announces
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has started distributing around $40 million from the Western Union Remission Fund to 25,000 victims of fraudulent schemes in various locations. This is the first distribution of the second phase of the fund, with more distributions anticipated in the future. Western Union had previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ in 2017, acknowledging its role in criminal conduct and agreeing to forfeit $586 million to compensate victims. The fraud schemes targeted consumers, including seniors, with scams such as the grandparent scam, lottery scams, and romance scams.
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Originally published by barbadostoday.bb (opens in new tab)
(CMC) — The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that the Western Union Remission Fund began a distribution of about US$40 million in funds forfeited to the United States from the Western Union Company (Western Union) to about 25,000 victims located in the Caribbean, the United States and other places.
The DOJ said on Friday that these victims stand to recover the full amount of their losses.
It said this is the first distribution in the second phase of the Western Union Remission distributions.
The DOJ said the first phase of distributions paid more than US$365 million to over 148,000 victims, all of whom received full compensation for their losses.
The Justice Department anticipates authorising more distributions for victims in the coming months.
The second phase of the Western Union Remission was opened in March 2022 to provide victims who had not filed petitions in the first phase of distributions an opportunity to file for remission, the DOJ said.
It said it continues to accept petitions for remission from those victimised by the scheme.
“The latest distribution of the Western Union Remission Fund compensated thousands more victims harmed by predatory schemes,” said acting assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“Victim assistance is a primary goal of the Department’s Asset Forfeiture Program, and this latest distribution is a testament to the impact asset forfeiture can have in compensating and making victims whole.”
US Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said: “Today’s distribution of US$39.6 million to thousands of victims to compensate them for their losses demonstrates our commitment to hold all responsible parties accountable and to ensure justice for the victims who were financially harmed. We thank our law enforcement partners who continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the victims.”
“The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to protecting victims of fraud and will continue to investigate those perpetrating such schemes,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen of the USPIS Philadelphia Division.
“This US$39 million disbursement to 25,000 victims brings the total disbursed to over $404 million to over 174,000 victims in the Western Union Remission process. We would like to thank our partners in this extraordinary effort especially the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section,” he added.
