A man from Chile accused of scamming residents of Prince Edward Island with a deceptive scheme known as the “grandparent scam” is now facing an additional ten fraud charges in New Brunswick. Luis Luciano David Cortez, who has been detained since August on five fraud counts, has had the new charges from Campbellton and an extra charge from Miramichi, New Brunswick, transferred to P.E.I. Provincial court Judge Jeff Lantz confirmed the transfer of these charges on Monday.
Cortez’s attorney, Marc-Antoine Rock, appeared in court via telephone and requested a postponement to review the new allegations against his client, a request that was granted by Judge Lantz. The case has been rescheduled for February 7, with Cortez agreeing to remain in custody until then. Rock has also sought an interpreter for Cortez as his primary language is Spanish.
Cortez’s partner has already admitted guilt and received a four-month prison sentence for her involvement in the fraudulent scheme. According to court records from Genesis Carvajal Tapia’s sentencing, the couple entered Canada by flying into Montreal, then proceeded to New Brunswick before driving across the Confederation Bridge to P.E.I. The victims were contacted by an individual, not Tapia or Cortez, claiming their grandchild was in legal trouble and needed bail money. Subsequently, the victims were asked to provide cash, which would be collected by another individual at their residence.
Charlottetown police arrested Cortez after a woman became suspicious and contacted her grandson to verify his well-being. Following the report to the police, Cortez was apprehended as he approached the grandmother’s residence. During Tapia’s sentencing, the Crown prosecutor mentioned that the couple appeared to be mere participants in a larger scheme, which had caught the attention of the Canada Border Services Agency.