Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A Canadian man who scammed seniors across the United States, before being arrested in Sangamon County, has been sentenced to just over four years in prison. Sebastian Chelemen was sentenced Thursday for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and ordered to pay more than $460,000 in restitution to his victims.

The scam involved co-conspirators in Canada calling the elderly and portraying themselves as young, loved ones who had been arrested and needed money for bond or a lawyer. Chelemen acted as a bail bondsman and courier and would pick up the money from those being scammed. The fraud scheme occurred between April and June 2023.

Evidence showed Chelemen personally took over $380,000 from the victims in multiple states directly and co-conspirators received another $78,000 from victims who mailed funds as part of the scheme. Members of the conspiracy also attempted to obtain at least an additional $290,000 from victims.

Chelemen had over $138,000 on him when he was arrested. He acknowledged he had recently received the money from numerous victims throughout the Central Illinois.