Two arrested for gold bar scam targeting seniors

A man and woman have been indicted on federal charges related to their role in a conspiracy to defraud senior victims in Kentucky and other states involving gold bars.

A federal grand jury in Louisville has returned indictments against Antonio Peña, who has ties to Florida and New York, and Brandi Durst of Florida. Both have been charged with one count each of Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money Laundering Conspiracy.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, court documents indicate Peña and Durst allegedly travelled around the United States between April 2024 and July 2025, collecting gold bars from victims who were convinced to liquidate their retirement funds and buy gold. The release states: “Unindicted co-conspirators would deceive victims into believing that they were victims of a prior identity theft scam, and that purchasing gold would help protect their assets. Peña, Durst, and others posed as Federal Reserve agents or other government officials, supposedly picking up the gold for safekeeping, only to steal victims’ savings and launder the proceeds.”

The Federal Trade Commission published a warning to consumers about such scams in July. The case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. Peña and Durst could face a maximum of 40 years in prison if found guilty of both charges.