Six men from Montreal have pleaded guilty to charges related to a scheme that defrauded American seniors out of significant sums of money. The defendants—David Anthony Di Rienzo, Tenaj Johnson, Carson Vaudry, Mason Pereira-Walker, Paul Letourneau, and Steven Petruzziello—entered their pleas on Thursday, admitting to conspiracy and fraud. According to a statement of facts submitted in court, the group made scam calls to U.S. seniors from 2019 to 2021. Prosecutors allege they attempted to defraud approximately 1,700 individuals, seeking a total of $1.5 million. Much of this money was intercepted by authorities before it could be collected by the scammers. In a related case, Joshua Sarroino, who is currently in custody on murder charges, pleaded no contest, which means he accepts the conviction without admitting guilt. As part of their guilty pleas, the six men are required to pay around $90,000 in restitution, with Di Rienzo responsible for the majority of that amount, which will go to eight victims. Di Rienzo is identified as the leader of the scam network. Sentencing for the group is set for January, and it may include testimony from victims. Petruzziello received a two-year sentence on Thursday, which includes one year of house arrest, followed by three years of probation and 200 hours of community service. One victim, identified as Madeline, a retired nurse, fell prey to the scam after being convinced that a family member was in trouble and needed money. Although her funds were intercepted, her daughter, Janelle, expressed that the experience left them both shaken. Due to concerns about potential retaliation, Janelle requested that only their first names be used. The scammers employed a specific script, as revealed by police wiretaps. They would initiate calls by addressing victims as "grandma" or "grandpa" and then proceed to convince them that they were in legal trouble. Once the victim was convinced, the initial caller would transfer them to another scammer posing as a police officer or lawyer, who would instruct them on how to send money. Although prosecutors claim the group earned about $316,000 from the scam, evidence suggests that Di Rienzo owned multiple luxury vehicles, including four Mercedes and a Rolls-Royce Phantom valued at nearly $600,000. Montreal has become a focal point for grandparent scams, with police conducting several raids on operations that have reportedly defrauded victims of millions. The six men were initially arrested in 2021 and formally charged in 2023 as part of an investigation by Quebec provincial police known as Projet Partenariat. In a separate case, 25 Quebec residents face fraud charges in the U.S. for their involvement in a scam network that allegedly stole $30 million from victims across the country. This case is currently progressing through the Canadian court system, where the accused are contesting extradition to the U.S. The alleged leader of that network, Gareth West, is accused of posing as a wealthy real estate developer while profiting from the scam. He was arrested earlier this year just north of Montreal after evading capture for some time. The ongoing investigations highlight the extensive reach of organized crime in these scams, with links to various criminal groups, including the Italian mafia and biker gangs.