The Mt. Lebanon Police Department initiated an interstate investigation with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation into crimes defrauding senior citizens of an estimated $26 million in proceeds between January 2024 and August 2025. The men accused of the crimes — 28-year-old Trevaughn J. Yearwood of Florida and 46-year-old Amit Kumar Jain of Virginia — were indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on December 5, 2025, of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The scam extended beyond western Pennsylvania, targeting victims in West Virginia and several states along the east coast.
According to the indictment, Jain and Yearwood conspired to defraud seniors by sending deceptive emails that led victims to part with tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, or to make substantial deposits of cash into Bitcoin ATMs, and used fictitious entities to launder the money through accounts at a bank in Vienna, Virginia.
For their parts in the scam, Jain is facing up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, and Yearwood up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine. The investigation is still ongoing.
“This case is great example of solid investigative work by our detectives who ultimately collaborated with our law enforcement partners to build a case against these individuals,” said Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Jason Haberman. “The teamwork and endless hours of investigative work put into this case by multiple law enforcement agencies resulted in significant amounts of money being recovered and preventing countless numbers of future victims from being targeted.”
Since 2020, the Federal Trade Commission reports a four-fold increase in reports of scammers stealing thousands of dollars from older adults, who are most at risk of exorbitant losses.
Scammers use scare tactics to get money. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
No legitimate biller, utility or nonprofit organization is going to ask you to pay for service or an overdue fee with gift cards or Bitcoin.
If a caller asks you to download an app on your phone or computer, do not do it. Also, do not withdraw large sums of money for a caller to come pick up at your home.
The IRS most often communicates by mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, not by phone. The agency will never ask you to pay with gift cards or Bitcoin.
No legitimate government organization is going to pressure you and demand immediate payment over the phone and not allow you time to hang up and consult with a trusted family member or if necessary, the local police.
If you have any question regarding scams, please don’t hesitate to call 911 to speak to the Mt. Lebanon Police Department.