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wo men from Southern California were arrested on Thursday for allegedly masterminding a complex money laundering scheme that swindled over $10 million from at least 100 victims, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Sylas Nyuydzene Verdzekov, 38, of Chino Hills, and Lovert Che, 44, of Lomita, were taken into custody while a third defendant, Mustapha Nkachiwouo Selly Yamie, 29, of Inglewood, remains at large. Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    The scheme primarily targeted elderly individuals, using fake identities and shell companies to open bank accounts under false names. The indictment alleges that the defendants posed as law enforcement or employees of well-known companies to convince victims to send bank information, which was then used for personal expenses such as rent.

    Another alleged scam involved posing as fictitious real estate owners, tricking victims into thinking a legitimate property sale was occurring before pocketing the money. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The indictment claims that the defendants built a sophisticated scheme that targeted vulnerable citizens and stole not only their money but also their security and trust.