New Jersey Man Cons Nun

According to a federal indictment, Adriano Sotomayor of New Jersey defrauded 24 victims, including members of the Dominican Sisters of the Rosary of Fatima, between May 2009 and June 2011. Sotomayor allegedly convinced an elderly nun that he was a Catholic Priest from New Jersey and the executor of a parishioner’s will.

Sotomayor informed the nun that she had been named as the beneficiary of the parishioner’s $2.1 million estate. Sotomayor then instructed the nun to send him money to cover taxes, processing frees, and legal fees to probate the parishioner’s will. The nun ended up sending the requested funds Sotomayor in Atlantic City, NJ. For two years Sotomayor continued his scam, conning away $439,153 from additional victims who sent money on the nun’s behalf.

If convicted of the 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting that are charged against him, Sontomayor faces a maximum possible sentence of 260 years in jail, a $3.25 million fine, three years of supervised release, and a $1,300 special assessment.

See Bill Singer, FBI Nabs Bogus Priest Who Ripped Off Elderly Nun In Fake Will Scam, Forbs, Feb. 28, 2012.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.