Edgewater Man Busted in $300,000 Nigerian Grandparent Phone Scam

EDGEWATER, N.J. -- An Edgewater man was one of five people -- most of them originally from Nigeria -- who were charged in a multi-national phone scam that fleeced an elderly New York State woman of $300,000, authorities said.

Sylvester Odiase Jr.
Photo Credit: *COURTESY: Harrison Police*

Jerry DeMarco

12/16/2015 3:30 p.m.

Sylvester Odiase was arrested after investigators in Harrison, N.Y. learned that the 92-year-old victim deposited the money into various sham accounts after receiving a call from a police impersonator in September.

The caller, who identified himself as a police sergeant, told her that her grandson was in jail and needed the money to secure his release, they said.

Also arrested on the same grand larceny charges were:

* Rachell Odiase, 54, of the Bronx

* Cecilia Rivera, 32, of Brooklyn

* Brittany Yearling, 32, of Missouri, TX

* Marquelle Collins, 28, of Bound Brook, NJ,

Sylvester and Rachell Odiase were awaiting arraignment.

Collins and Yearling were arrested earlier. Rivera was being held on $100,000 bail in the Westchester County Jail.

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