Studio City Man Sentenced For Fraud Against The Elderly

STUDIO CITY—On February 5, Matthew Jason Kroth, aka “Speedy,” of Studio City was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for his part in a conspiracy scheme targeting the elderly. Kroth reportedly broke into the home of an elderly man living alone, and later returned to steal items, jewelry, and mail. According to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California, Kroth pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He has been in federal custody since August 2023. “According to his plea agreement and other court documents, Kroth in the summer of 2020 broke into the home of an elderly man, who was living alone in the house at the time. Later, Kroth returned to the victim’s home to steal items, including mail and jewelry. By this time, the victim had died, but his death went unreported to authorities. Kroth then provided to his co-conspirators the victim’s PII and his mail so they could impersonate the victim and steal his assets, including his home and money in his financial accounts. Kroth’s co-conspirators forged a trust document and power-of-attorney forms so that they could pretend that the now-deceased victim supported the sale of his assets for the benefit of Kroth’s accomplices. The conspirators then dismembered and disposed of the victim’s body so his death would be hard to discover.” Caroline Herrling, 46, of West Hills was leader in the scheme who brought Kroth into the conspiracy. She is currently incarcerated and serving a 20-year prison sentence. Herrling pleaded guilty in March 2023. She has been in federal custody since January 2023. James Rhys Kantor, 46, is a resident of Cumming, Georgia. Kantor was formerly of West Hollywood. His sentencing date is scheduled for February 19. In October 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces the statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Anyone age 60 or older who may have fallen victim to wire fraud is asked to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.   By Sharon