Plano Police Detective Vidmar was recently honored for returning over $8 million of stolen funds to victims of “sweetheart swindling” and other fraudulent crimes.
Vidmar was assigned to the United States Secret Service North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force for the past four years. During that time, he spoke with many victims who had lost large sums of money through fraud.
In late November 2020, Assistant to Special Agent in Charge Caldwell of the U.S. Secret Service, along with Senior Special Agent Pascoe and Detective Vidmar, convened a meeting with Collin County District Court Judge Ben Smith. Their goal was to engage Collin County Judges in establishing an expedited process for obtaining search warrants related to fraudulent bank accounts. Delays in acquiring these warrants could provide criminals with the opportunity to withdraw stolen funds.
The bulk of these fraudulent accounts were specifically established to harbor money obtained through scams like sweetheart scams, business email compromises, CARES Act fraud and the laundering of stolen funds. While the majority of victims were not residents of Plano or Collin County, the banks associated with the fraudulent accounts were situated in Plano, Texas.
Judge Smith agreed that the stolen funds could be lost if the seizing process was delayed. Over a span of 3.5 years, with Judge Smith's assistance, Detective Vidmar collaborated with the U.S. Secret Service North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force to secure nearly 70 search and seizure warrants, all approved by Judge Ben Smith.
According to the Plano Police Department, this collaborative effort resulted in the recovery of over $8 million in stolen funds, with 99.8% of the seized funds successfully returned to victims across the United States and Canada.
On March 7, 2024, Detective Vidmar, alongside fellow members of the Plano Police Department and high-ranking officials from the U.S. Secret Service, met with Judge Ben Smith. In recognition of his partnership with the United States Secret Service North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force, Judge Smith was honored with a plaque.