CEDAR RAPIDS – Two more people, a married couple, who participated in a scheme to defraud victims across the United States have pled guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Michael Marcov, age 26, and Stephanie Marcov, age 27, from Hazel Green, Wisconsin, pled guilty today and were each convicted of one count of wire fraud.
At their plea hearings and in written plea agreements, the Marcovs admitted they participated in a scheme to defraud people throughout the United States and that the fraud was primarily targeted towards the elderly. They admitted that while they never made calls to victims, other individuals involved in the scheme called victims on the phone and told these victims that a relative was in jail. The caller would then ask the victims to wire money via Western Union or Money Gram to get the relative released. They further admitted that the money was being wired to various participants in the fraud who would pick up the wire transfers. Both Marcovs admitted that they were participants in and around Dubuque who received wire transfers from the victims and also sent the proceeds of the fraud via wire transfer to other participants of the scheme often located in the Dominican Republic.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Michael Marcov remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Stephanie Marcov remains remains free on bond previously set. Each faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Two other people have previously pled guilty to their role in the scheme. On March 2, 2017, Shawn Vaassen pled guilty and admitted that he too was picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims of the scheme. At the same plea hearing, Vaassen also pled guilty to unlawfully possessing a sawed off shotgun. On May 9, 2017, Carlos Rodriguez pled guilty and admitted that he was also picking up wire transfers sent to the Dubuque area by victims.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Vavricek and Anthony Morfitt and were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Dubuque Police Department.
