Otmane Khalladi, a 33-year-old resident of Miami, Florida, has been charged by a federal grand jury in Vermont with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and failure to appear. The superseding indictment was returned on January 23, 2025.
Khalladi pleaded not guilty during his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle on February 13, 2026. Judge Doyle ordered that Khalladi remain detained while the case proceeds.
Court records allege that Khalladi participated in a “grandparent scam” and later conspired to launder the proceeds from that scheme. He was first arrested in Miami in April 2023 and released on a $100,000 bond. Authorities say he failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing in December 2024. He was subsequently detained by Mexican immigration officials and removed back to the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated: “An indictment contains allegations only and that Khalladi is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.” If convicted, Khalladi faces up to 60 years in prison. Sentencing would be determined by the District Court using advisory guidelines and statutory factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt recognized the work of Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Customs and Border Protection, and acknowledged assistance from the FBI in locating Khalladi in Mexico.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nate Burris and Michelle Arra are prosecuting the case. Steven Barth of the Federal Public Defender’s Office is representing Khalladi.
This case falls under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative created by Executive Order 14159, which targets criminal cartels, transnational criminal organizations, human smuggling, trafficking rings operating within or outside the United States, as well as crimes involving children. HSTF Vermont includes agents from multiple federal agencies along with state and local partners; prosecutions are led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Vermont.
