LOS ANGELES, CA – Three people were arrested in Fullerton in connection with a lottery scam that defrauded a 72-year-old woman of $20,000, authorities said. The suspects allegedly tricked the woman into believing they needed her help to claim a lottery jackpot, leading her to withdraw cash from her bank and hand it over, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident occurred on Feb. 20, when the elderly victim was approached by two women while shopping. Investigators said the suspects persuaded her to assist them in claiming a supposed lottery prize. They then accompanied her to a bank, where she withdrew $18,000, before providing an additional $2,000 from her home in Fontana.
The suspects left the woman with a package they claimed contained her share of the winnings. Instead, it was filled with cut-up newspapers, authorities said.
Following an investigation, detectives identified a suspect vehicle, which was later stopped during a traffic enforcement operation on Feb. 25. Three individuals inside were taken into custody after officers recovered evidence linking them to the alleged scam, authorities said.
The arrested suspects were identified as Rosalba Bernal-Sanchez, Jairo Naranjo-Lopez, and Kevin Prieto-Bernal, all Colombian nationals. Officials said Prieto-Bernal had an outstanding felony warrant for burglary in Illinois and is on felony probation for burglary in Minnesota.
Authorities confirmed that Bernal-Sanchez was positively identified by the victim as one of the two female suspects involved in the scam. The second woman has not yet been identified, and investigators are working to locate her.
Officials believe the suspects specifically targeted the victim because of her age. Detectives are also looking into the possibility of additional victims and have released photos of the suspects and their vehicle.
Anyone with information about this case or other potential victims is urged to contact the Fontana Sheriff’s Station at 909-356-6710. Anonymous tips can be provided through We-Tip at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or online at wetip.com.
