FBI: Grandparent scam suspect stole $15K from elderly in Hermitage, Grove City
A 34-year-old man has been indicted for an alleged grandparent scam that defrauded thousands of dollars from elderly victims in Mercer County and others in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez was arrested last week in Cleveland and now faces a five-count indictment.
Rodriguez is alleged to be a member of an organized crime group that targeted elderly victims with a scheme in which scammers impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming they needed immediate financial assistance for emergencies like accidents or arrests.
Authorities allege that between October 2024 and January 2025, at least five elderly individuals in Western Pennsylvania were defrauded of more than $50,000.
On Jan. 14, 2025, a 91-year-old woman reported to the Hermitage Police Department that she had been scammed out of $6,500. She received a call from someone claiming to be an attorney representing her grandson, who said her grandson was arrested for DUI.
The victim withdrew the money and left it in an envelope on her porch for pickup by a Lyft driver. Surveillance footage from a Sheetz in Cleveland showed Rodriguez retrieving the envelope.
On Nov. 20, 2024, a couple in their mid-70s reported to the Grove City Police Department that they were scammed out of $9,000.
They were told their son had been in a car accident and needed bail money. They were instructed to deliver the cash to a location in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and the money was then transported by an Uber driver to the same Sheetz location in Cleveland, where Rodriguez was again captured on surveillance collecting the funds.
Authorities allege that Rodriguez used ride-share drivers to pick up the stolen money, often directing them to a Sheetz location on Brookpark Road in Cleveland. Surveillance footage shows Rodriguez collecting cash from the drivers.
He allegedly wired a significant portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic and deposited other portions into bank accounts.
According to court documents, investigators identified Rodriguez through surveillance footage and vehicle registration records. A Nissan minivan used in the scheme was registered to Denninson Almonte, and Rodriguez was identified as the driver during a traffic stop by Parma Police.
Similar crimes have been reported by police in Millcreek Township, Scott Township, Fox Chapel, and Finley Township. Investigators believe there are likely more victims in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other states.
