Scam artist pays price
He gets 51/2years and must pay restitution for bilking the elderly.
By KEVIN GRAHAM, Times Staff Writer
Published September 25, 2007
TAMPA - More than a dozen elderly victims will receive part of $200,000 in restitution from a man who pleaded guilty Monday to managing a telemarketing lottery scam.
Vasilios "Billy" Kolitsidas, 38, was sentenced to just over 51/2years in prison by U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Jr.
The judge gave Kolitsidas credit for time served in a Canadian prison while he awaited extradition to the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering.
He must serve another 21 months to complete his sentence.
As part of a plea agreement, Kolitsidas turned over $200,000 in restitution.
His attorney gave prosecutors a check at the hearing.
He also must forfeit another $337,000.
Kolitsidas pleaded guilty to his role in a sweepstakes and lottery scheme that scammed more than $1.6-million from victims across Florida and in South Carolina.
An indictment charged him and Serges Jacques Descent, also known as Jack Descent, with persuading 14 people to turn over thousands of dollars in fees and taxes between October 1998 and September 1999 for winnings that never existed.
"I would like to take this time to apologize sincerely to all the victims and their families that were involved, and for all their unjustly suffering," Kolitsidas told the judge.
The telemarketing firm targeted older people who had previously entered sweepstakes contest or been the victims of fraud.
The men said they were calling on behalf of the Canadian government, pretending to disburse winnings, prosecutors said.
The catch: taxes and fees had to be paid first.
The men would have the victims send checks to an address in Montreal and a St. Petersburg address to a company called Group Crown International Inc.
In one scam detailed in court papers, 79-year-old Ada Korf was told she won more than $1-million.
She sent four checks totaling $429,000 to the St. Petersburg address and was told if her bank asked about the money, to say she was investing in Florida real estate.
Descent, who Kolitsidas said approached him about "investing," is serving 10 years in prison.
Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com.