Venezuelan Woman Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Extortion Plot

Brigith Dayana Gomez, 29, of Venezuela, was sentenced today to 20 months and 15 days in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for her participation in an extortion plot. Additionally, United States District Judge Joan A. Lenard ordered Gomez to pay at least $841.20 in restitution, and prohibited her from using social media and email during her sentence and the term of supervision.

Benjamin G. Greenberg, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Robert F. Lasky, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

On February 14, 2018, following a two and a half week Miami jury trial, Gomez was convicted on all counts of the charged indictment, specifically: one count of conspiracy to transmit an interstate extortionate communication, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371; three counts of interstate transmission of an extortionate communication, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(d); and one count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1952(a)(3). 

According to evidence presented at trial, Gomez and co-defendant Carolina Del Carmen Roldan planned to extort a victim, residing in Broward County, out of tens of thousands of dollars.  If the victim did not comply with the demands for payment, the defendants threatened to damage the victim’s reputation and business prospects.

Gomez was residing in Los Angeles, California, while Del Carmen Roldan was residing in Miami, Florida, during the extortion conspiracy.  Both women, originally from Venezuela, had previously obtained visas to reside in the United States.

Del Carmen Roldan previously pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy transmit an interstate extortionate communication and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lenard to 14 months and 15 days in prison, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the FBI.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa H. Miller, Anne P. McNamara and Frederic C. Shadley.