A local brother and sister — one of whom was previously convicted of fraud and whose prison sentence was commuted by former President Donald Trump — were convicted by a San Diego federal jury for a fraud scheme involving resold groceries and other goods.
Adriana Camberos, 54, and Andres Camberos, 45, were found guilty Friday of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for buying items from manufacturers at discounted prices under the guise of reselling those items to locations in Mexico or to prisons and rehabilitation centers, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
However, prosecutors said the siblings then turned around and resold the goods to U.S. customers at higher prices. Prosecutors said two of three companies the siblings owned had less than one-tenth of 1% of their sales going to Mexican markets and no business at all with prisons and rehabilitation centers.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the defendants went to great lengths to keep manufacturers believing they were selling their goods to Mexican markets, including bringing manufacturers to a fake office in Mexico City in order to make it appear the siblings did regular business with Mexican companies.
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With the extra millions in profit made through the scheme, the siblings bought numerous luxury items such as pricey cars, multiple homes in San Diego, and a condo on the beach in Coronado.
"These defendants' deception led to millions in illegal profits, but the gain was fleeting," said San Diego U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in a statement. "When this elaborate scheme unraveled, justice prevailed."
Adriana Camberos, previously known as Adriana Shayota, was previously convicted along with her then-husband of wire fraud, money laundering, and other charges for a scheme involving sales of counterfeit 5-hour Energy drinks.
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She was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison, but her sentence was commuted in 2021, after she had served about half her sentence. The commutation was supported by, among other community leaders, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, who was a former high school classmate of Andres Camberos.
A White House statement announcing the commutation described Camberos as "a mother and a deeply religious woman who had no prior convictions" and said that while in prison, she "mentored those who wanted to improve their lives and demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to rehabilitation."
