4 charged in lottery scam targeting elderly Hispanics

Police arrested two men and two women earlier this week who allegedly ran a lottery ticket scam that targeted elderly Hispanic victims.

The four worked as a team and typically sought out elderly Hispanic victims at stores and on the street, according to a release from the Chicago Police.

The suspects would approach a victim two at a time and explain they were illegal immigrants and had a winning lottery ticket of more than one million dollars. They would then offer to share the winnings if the elderly victim gave money in good faith.

The suspects persuaded about five victims to give between $5,000 to $50,000 and/or jewelry with the promise that the victims would share in the lottery winnings. The combined loss of the five victims was about $110,000, the release said. The suspects also attempted to defraud two other victims of $50,000.

John Garcia, 30 of the 4700 block of South Karlov Avenue, was charged with three counts of theft by deception and one count of attempted theft by deception.

William Velasquez-Ortiz, 43, of the 2000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, was charged with one count of theft by deception and two counts of attempted theft by deception.

Janet Cruz, 39, of the 3200 block of West Lawrence Avenue, was charged with three counts of theft by deception.

Carmen Perez-Santiago, 62, of the 3200 block of West Lawrence Avenue was charged with one count of theft by deception.