MIAMI — A previously deported Nicaraguan national who impersonated bank representatives and drained more than $29 million from victims across the United States was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom imposed the sentence on Ernesto Ortega Padgett, 41, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to transport stolen property. The scheme, which began in 2020, used technology and social engineering to trick victims into disclosing sensitive financial information, which Ortega and his co-conspirators then used to initiate unauthorized wire transfers.
“Ortega built a sophisticated international fraud scheme on deception, stolen trust, and technology, draining more than $29 million from victims across the country,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He impersonated banks, exploited fear and urgency, and used an international laundering network and cryptocurrency to move and conceal the proceeds. Today’s 15-year sentence sends a clear message: if you steal from Americans through fraud and hide behind borders, technology, or shell accounts, we will find you, extradite you, and hold you accountable. And you will not keep the proceeds of your crimes.”
Ortega used the stolen funds to finance a lavish lifestyle, renting luxury apartments in Madrid and beach homes in Marbella, Spain, spending up to $30,000 per month and purchasing high-end watches, jewelry, electronics and designer goods. To conceal the money, he relied on an international network of launders who withdrew proceeds in cash and converted funds into cryptocurrency. The scheme also involved threats and coercion to force certain individuals to participate in laundering activities.
“Ortega believed his sophistication, his use of technology, and the distance between him and his victims would allow him to operate without consequence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service Miami Field Office. “This case shows that no level of deception or complexity will shield criminals from accountability. The Secret Service will continue to protect hardworking Americans and go to great lengths to bring those responsible to justice.”
Ortega had been charged in Spain for related criminal conduct and had pending charges in Panama. After his arrest in Spain, he violated the conditions of his release and remained a fugitive for nearly a year. In December 2023, law enforcement learned he planned to travel to Paris, France. Authorities apprehended him at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, and he was extradited to the United States on June 13, 2024. Several co-conspirators have already been sentenced for their roles in the scheme.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit and the U.S. Secret Service Miami Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement partners in Spain and France. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moore prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Raemy Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture proceedings under case number 23-cr-20049 in the Southern District of Florida.