George Santos, Danny Masterson and other disgraced public figures were targeted by Texas scammers posing as prosecutors and offered to help get their cases dismissed in exchange for cold hard cash, federal prosecutors say. authorities announced on Wednesday.
Hector Medina Jr., 39, surrendered Wednesday morning in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said he admitted to carrying out the scheme because he owed more than $100,000 in gambling debts.
The alleged fraudster, who also called himself “Michael Soto,” first contacted Mr. Santos, an ousted Long Island congressman on federal fraud charges, in July 2023, asking him to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors and judges. He is said to have sent a video message claiming to be there.
“Several people have contacted me and asked me to see if you would like to do business,” Medina said in the video, according to prosecutors.
“Oh, this is just for today. If you’re interested, we’ll remove everything, remove any evidence about you, and make it disappear. If you’re interested, please contact me. ” or “No.” thank you. ”
Medina later texted Santos and promised to settle the lying former politician’s troubles for $900,000, according to a newly unsealed affidavit.
He then sent a photo of a fake New Mexico driver’s license as identification before begging Santos to help him, court documents say.
“I’m really good at what I do,” Medina was quoted as saying. “I’m a genius. When it comes to things like this, I’m a wizard. So please take advantage of this situation and let me know. Thank you.”
It is not clear in court documents whether Mr. Santos – who last year became the sixth member in history to be expelled from the US House of Representatives after falsifying much of his personal and professional history – fell into fraud.
According to court documents, Medina also tried to contact Masterson last summer, before Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping two women at his Hollywood-area home in 2003. received the verdict.
Federal authorities say the suspect is also accused of targeting two other people. These include a well-known musician who was arrested in June 2023 and a “professional athlete” whose family was arrested in May 2023.
Medina was charged with wire fraud and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He has two previous convictions for theft and fraud, prosecutors said.
He was scheduled to appear before a judge in El Paso, Texas. sometime Wednesday before answering the charges in Brooklyn federal court at a later date.
“I am currently in the early stages of representing Mr. Medina in this matter,” his attorney Joseph Weiss said in a statement. “Mr. Medina eagerly anticipates confronting the allegations against him through formal legal proceedings.”
