The Office of the Attorney General Anti-Money Laundering Unit investigated the case and the Special Prosecutions Division is handling the prosecution
Albuquerque, NM – This afternoon, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that James Lambros was indicted by a Bernalillo County Grand Jury on 32 felony charges including Money Laundering, Larceny, Embezzlement, Tampering with Evidence, Tax Fraud, Forgery and Theft of a Credit Card for allegedly stealing over $1 million from two elderly victims, ages eighty-five (85) and ninety five (95), and one count of Child Exploitation for allegedly possessing images of child sexual abuse.
“Protecting New Mexico senior citizens and other vulnerable populations from exploitation is a top priority of the Office of the Attorney General and I’ve dedicated significant resources to preventing and combating this epidemic,” said Attorney General Hector Balderas. “While I cannot comment specifically on the facts of the pending case, I want New Mexicans to have a heightened sense of awareness around the dangers of mail fraud, financial theft, and the tools needed to protect themselves against this pervasive crime that frequently targets our seniors.”
“New Mexicans, and especially older New Mexicans, are targets of scammers and con artists who want to take your money,” said Gene Varela, State Director, AARP New Mexico. “You have the power to protect yourself and your loved ones by being vigilant and educating yourself about the dangers of fraud. I invite you to visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network website for free information and resources.”
To visit AARP’s Fraud Watch Network please visit www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.
This case was investigated by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Anti-Money Laundering Unit in the Special Investigations Division and is being prosecuted by the OAG Special Prosecutions Division.