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Mexico Arrests Otmane Khalladi, Suspect in U.S. ‘Grandparent Scam,’ in Playa del Carmen

The detainee faces transfer proceedings after a joint MexicoU.S. effort linked him to a scheme that targeted older victims nationwide.

Overview

  • Mexican officials said the capture followed FBI information-sharing and a coordinated operation by SSPC, FGR through AIC‑INTERPOL, SEMAR, SEDENA, and Quintana Roo authorities.
  • Authorities report Khalladi entered Mexico using a false identity and was identified through intelligence analysis and field work before being detained in the resort city.
  • He was presented to Mexico’s National Immigration Institute, where protocols for potential deportation or extradition are pending under international cooperation mechanisms.
  • U.S. Justice Department materials list the 32-year-old Miami resident among roughly 25 defendants in a Vermont-led case spanning more than 40 states, with alleged losses exceeding $21 million.
  • Prosecutors describe callers posing as relatives or lawyers to extract cash for fake emergencies, then moving funds to Canada and laundering proceeds, including via cryptocurrency.