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in Financial Crime
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-07
A 59-year-old homemaker in Mattancherry lost ₹2.88 crore in a "virtual arrest" scam in which fraudsters, posing as Mumbai police officers, accused her of money laundering and convinced her she was under "virtual arrest" and subjected to a "virtual trial." The victim transferred the money in multiple installments after being threatened and instructed to keep the matter secret, only discovering the fraud when she sought a police clearance certificate.
toronto.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-07
In 2025, anti-fraud consultant Vanessa Iafolla highlights the often-overlooked emotional and psychological impact of financial fraud on victims, noting that shame, loss of self-worth, and mental health deterioration can be as damaging as the financial losses themselves. With over 17,000 Canadians falling victim to fraud so far that year, totaling $342 million in losses, Iafolla is pursuing counseling therapy certification to provide specialized mental health support to fraud victims and help destigmatize their experiences. She emphasizes that victims often avoid coming forward due to shame and societal judgment, which increases their vulnerability to being scammed again.
the420.in
· 2025-12-07
Authorities in Uttarakhand arrested multiple suspects across two cyber fraud cases totaling ₹1.9 crore in losses. In the first case, a 27-year-old man defrauded a 58-year-old Dehradun businessman of ₹50 lakh through a romance scam involving a fake foreign woman and fabricated airport detention charges; in the second case, two Delhi men were arrested for a "digital arrest" scheme that victimized a retired university vice-chancellor of ₹1.4 crore over 12 days in August. These arrests highlight the expansion of organized cyber fraud networks across India using social engineering tactics.
cosmopolitan.com
· 2025-12-07
Christopher Harkins, a serial romance scammer based in Glasgow, Scotland, operated on dating apps like Tinder from approximately 2012 to 2020, defrauding multiple victims by creating fake profiles, building false relationships through "lovebombing," and then requesting money under various pretexts (frozen bank accounts, fake investments, holiday bookings). Harkins used manipulation, threats, and in some cases physical/sexual violence to control victims, and is considered one of the UK's most prolific romance scammers; his exposure came through the determination of victims who overcame fear and shame to speak out, now documented in the Amazon Prime Video series "Catching the
cosmopolitan.com
· 2025-12-07
A woman met a man named Christopher Harkins on Tinder in 2017 who presented himself as a successful engineer and developed a romantic relationship with her over several months. After she mentioned wanting spontaneous holidays, he offered to book a trip to Mykonos and convinced her to transfer £3,247 for flights and hotel, claiming he had better booking discounts; however, the hotel had no record of the reservation, and he became cold and unresponsive after receiving the money. The victim's bank and police declined to help, stating she had willingly transferred the funds in what police classified as a "domestic" matter, leaving her unable to recover the money.
cosmopolitan.com
· 2025-12-07
*Love Con Revenge*, a Netflix series featuring private investigator Brianne Joseph and Tinder Swindler victim Cecilie Fjellhøy, investigates romance scams, including the case of Christopher Earl Lloyd, who defrauded multiple women of over $2 million by posing as a former Major League Baseball player and investment broker on dating apps. Lloyd was apprehended on July 24th on a 14-count federal indictment and currently faces 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of monetary transaction fraud, with potential sentences of up to 20 years per wire fraud count plus an additional 10 years if convicted on the monetary transaction charge.
nordicmonitor.com
· 2025-12-07
In 2021, Turkish authorities allegedly facilitated a sophisticated human smuggling scam in which nine Iraqi asylum seekers were flown from Istanbul to Italy aboard a private jet using forged diplomatic passports from Saint Kitts and Nevis, defrauding an aviation company of $43,000 through a fake payment confirmation. The Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office declined to prosecute in August 2022, citing jurisdictional concerns despite evidence of Turkish involvement, while Turkish traffickers continued operating the same scheme—charging $10,000 per migrant—until European law enforcement arrested five suspects in a 2022 international operation that notably made no mention of Turkish authorities' alleged complicity.
kfiz.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are conducting jury duty avoidance scams using fake government websites to steal personal information and money from targets. The scheme begins with a call or text impersonating law enforcement, directing victims to a fraudulent website that captures Social Security numbers and birthdates, then pressures them to pay via credit card or cryptocurrency ATMs. The article emphasizes that legitimate courts never demand immediate payment or sensitive personal information by phone, and advises victims to verify requests directly with official law enforcement contacts and avoid clicking unsolicited links.
paktribune.com
· 2025-12-07
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan arrested six suspects, including a Deputy Director of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation, for a property fraud scheme involving forged co-ownership records in Rawalpindi that unlawfully added private individuals as beneficiaries and diverted millions from the national treasury. The FIA simultaneously dismissed five of its own employees for negligence and misconduct related to the investigation. The crackdown represents both external arrests of fraudsters and internal accountability measures aimed at addressing corruption in housing allocations and restoring public trust.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
The Chandigarh Police cyber crime branch arrested 103 cyber criminals and registered 102 FIRs between January and August 2024, recovering Rs. 7.5 crore of approximately Rs. 32.5 crore in frauds involving online trading scams, digital arrests, fake calls, and credit card fraud. Elderly citizens living alone have become primary targets due to lack of technical knowledge, prompting police to launch door-to-door awareness campaigns in senior-heavy residential areas. Authorities emphasize prompt reporting to maximize recovery and advise the public never to share banking details, OTPs, or passwords, and to verify that government agencies will never request money transfers
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
A 62-year-old retired government employee in Visakhapatnam lost over Rs 2.5 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officials called him claiming his Aadhaar was linked to money laundering and threatened him with arrest warrants. The victim transferred all his savings following the scammers' instructions before discovering the fraud through reading about similar cases and reporting it to cyber crime police. Police note that senior citizens are increasingly targeted in digital arrest scams, with many victims reluctant to report due to shame or lack of awareness.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
A 62-year-old retired government employee in Visakhapatnam lost over Rs 2.5 crore in a digital arrest scam after fraudsters posing as police officials claimed his Aadhaar card was linked to money laundering and threatened him with arrest warrants and imprisonment. The victim transferred his entire savings under duress before realizing the deception after reading about similar scams. Police report that senior citizens are increasingly targeted in digital arrest fraud schemes across the state, with many victims failing to report due to shame, fear, or lack of awareness.
thehansindia.com
· 2025-12-07
A sophisticated dark web-orchestrated IPO investment scam targeting professionals across India defrauded victims by impersonating Axis Bank and Bank of Baroda through WhatsApp and Telegram, using fake investment dashboards and promises of high returns. Police arrested 34-year-old Bobbari Srinivasa Rao in connection with at least 19 cases and Rs 43 lakh in fraud, after a 63-year-old Hyderabad victim lost over Rs 43 lakh to the scheme between July and August 2025. The scam successfully targeted educated professionals including doctors, teachers, and bank managers by presenting fabricated profit statements and press
primetimer.com
· 2025-12-07
**Love Con Revenge** is a six-part Netflix docuseries released September 5, 2025, that investigates multiple romance scams where perpetrators manipulated victims into financial fraud totaling millions of dollars. The series, hosted by Tinder Swindler victim Cecilie Fjellhøy and private investigator Brianne Joseph, features cases including Todd Dean (mental health facility investment fraud), Christopher Lloyd (alleged $2M+ investment scheme targeting women), Dorian Wilkerson ($2M fraud involving false medical credentials), Ricky Morrissey (veteran-themed romance con), and Aaron Ward (male victim defrauded of $
plumassun.org
· 2025-12-07
The American Bankers Association Foundation and FBI released an educational infographic to help consumers recognize and avoid deepfake scams, which use AI-generated media to impersonate trusted individuals and pressure victims into sending money or sharing sensitive information. Since 2020, over 4.2 million fraud reports have been filed resulting in more than $50.5 billion in losses, with deepfake scams representing a growing portion of this fraud. The infographic provides practical guidance on identifying red flags (such as distorted facial features and audio-video mismatches) and protective measures including verifying identities through trusted sources and creating codewords with loved ones.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-07
A 63-year-old Florida man was arrested in August 2025 after a five-month investigation into a four-year timeshare resale scam that defrauded an elderly Georgia couple of over $1 million. Charles Henry Williams faced charges including Theft by Deception and Exploitation of an Elder Person, and authorities identified additional victims across multiple states, suggesting a broader fraud scheme. Law enforcement urges seniors and families to verify financial requests and remain vigilant against online fraud schemes targeting vulnerable elderly individuals.
brookline.news
· 2025-12-07
Two New York men, Amarjot Singh (30) and Jaykumar Raval (20), were arrested in July and charged in September for facilitating a scheme that defrauded a 71-year-old Brookline woman of $45,000 in June. The scam began with a fake Apple Pay alert text, followed by impersonation calls from fake Apple Security and Federal Trade Commission representatives who convinced the victim her accounts had been compromised and instructed her to withdraw cash for pickup by supposed undercover federal agents. Raval is also suspected in connection with nearly $200,000 stolen from elderly women across New York and New Hampshire through similar schemes.
geekspin.co
· 2025-12-07
A 63-year-old Florida man, Charles Henry Williams, was arrested in connection with a multi-year timeshare resale scam that defrauded an elderly Georgia couple of over $1 million. The scheme targeted vulnerable seniors across multiple states, with the primary victims deceived into making payments for fraudulent property transactions over four years before the fraud was discovered. Williams faces charges including Theft by Deception and Exploitation of an Elder Person, and law enforcement urges seniors and their families to verify financial requests and remain alert to similar schemes.
home.treasury.gov
· 2025-12-07
In 2024, Americans lost over $10 billion to Southeast Asia-based cyber scams operated by transnational criminal organizations, representing a 66 percent increase from the prior year. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned 19 scam centers across Burma and Cambodia that used forced labor, debt bondage, and violence to coerce workers into conducting romance and virtual currency investment scams targeting American victims. These operations typically lure victims with promises of romantic relationships or investment opportunities, then steal funds deposited on fraudulent platforms designed to mimic legitimate investment sites.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Shengsheng He, a California man and co-owner of the Bahamas-based Axis Digital Limited, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for his role in an international digital asset investment scam that defrauded U.S. victims of more than $36.9 million. The conspiracy involved overseas scammers contacting victims through unsolicited social media and dating apps to solicit fraudulent digital asset investments, with stolen funds laundered through shell companies, international banks, and digital asset wallets connected to scam centers in Cambodia. He was ordered to pay $26,867,242.44 in restitution, and eight co-conspirators have ple
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
A cryptocurrency user lost approximately $180,000 through a phishing scam, part of a broader August 2025 trend where phishing attacks cost crypto users over $12 million and affected 15,230 victims, with a particularly sophisticated variant called EIP-7702 signature scams responsible for $5.6 million in losses. Scammers used deceptive emails and communications mimicking legitimate services to trick victims into signing fraudulent transactions that drained their funds. Protection measures include verifying URLs, using two-factor authentication, never sharing seed phrases or passwords, and remaining vigilant about suspicious communications.
people.com
· 2025-12-07
Cecilie Fjellhøy was one of three women defrauded by Simon Leviev (the "Tinder Swindler") in a romance scam documented in the 2022 Netflix film; she lost approximately $250,000 after meeting him on Tinder, while Leviev allegedly swindled around $10 million total from multiple victims over the years. Since coming forward, Fjellhøy has become an advocate for romance fraud victims and now hosts the Netflix docuseries *Love Con Revenge* (premiered September 5, 2025), where she partners with a private investigator to expose romance scammers and help victims recover.
ew.com
· 2025-12-07
Netflix's docuseries "Love Con Revenge" features Cecilie Fjellhøy and private investigator Brianne Joseph exposing romance scams, with cases including Todd Dean (the "Selfie Scammer"), who defrauded at least eight women of tens of thousands of dollars for a fake wellness startup called Sanjara and was ordered to pay one victim $30,727.50 in court before filing for bankruptcy in December 2023, and Ricky Morrisey, who stole over $13,000 from victim Bridget Phillips while posing as a military veteran with a fabricated tragic backstory, resulting in fraud and larceny
azag.gov
· 2025-12-07
Paul Eppinger, leader of the Arizona Mexican Mafia, was convicted of pandemic unemployment fraud involving false claims submitted by Arizona inmates and associates that caused significant losses to state and federal governments. During the fraud investigation, Eppinger confessed to involvement in five cold case homicides from the 1990s, resulting in 25-year sentences on each homicide charge while he remains incarcerated on a life sentence.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
A Romanian national pleaded guilty to wire fraud for orchestrating a sleight-of-hand scam targeting Walmart stores across the U.S. between April 2023 and October 2024. Suras Rostas, 21, conducted at least 45 fraudulent transactions in 18 states by handing cashiers counted cash piles, then surreptitiously removing bills and returning merchandise for full refunds, netting at least $130,000. He faces sentencing in December with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, restitution, and likely deportation.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Nadeem Gul, 54, was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for defrauding three companies out of $257,000 total. Gul impersonated executives of fake wholesale distribution companies (operating under names like Mega Liquidations Group) and convinced victims in Maryland, Arizona, and Texas to submit purchase orders and wire payments between June and November 2021, none of whom received any merchandise. The court ordered Gul to repay his victims.
dlapiper.com
· 2025-12-07
The SEC has launched a Cross-Border Task Force to investigate fraud by foreign-based companies, particularly targeting market manipulation schemes like "ramp-and-dumps" involving Chinese companies and misconduct by gatekeepers such as auditors and underwriters who enable access to US capital markets. The task force aligns with DOJ enforcement priorities and signals increased scrutiny and liability exposure for auditors and underwriters involved with foreign issuers, especially those with opaque governance structures or VIE arrangements. The SEC is also directing other divisions to develop new disclosure rules and guidance to better protect US investors from transnational fraud schemes.
wrif.com
· 2025-12-07
Oakland County (Southeast Michigan) experienced a surge in scams targeting bank customers, renters, and seniors, according to AARP Scam Tracker data. Scammers used multiple tactics including fake bank calls claiming account breaches, fraudulent rental listings with stolen photos, impersonation of medical device sellers targeting seniors for credit card information, fake utility workers, and phishing emails promoting bogus antivirus software. Authorities recommend verifying information through official sources, never sharing personal details with unsolicited callers, and contacting Michigan's Attorney General (877-765-8388) or AARP's Fraud Watch (877-908-3360) for assistance.
washingtoninformer.com
· 2025-12-07
**Scam Type:** Cryptocurrency fraud facilitated by Bitcoin ATMs
**Summary:** On September 8, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed suit against Athena Bitcoin, Inc., operator of seven Bitcoin ATMs in the District, for knowingly facilitating international fraud schemes targeting elderly residents. An OAG investigation found that 93% of deposits at Athena machines during the company's first five months of operation resulted from scams, with victims having a median age of 71 and median losses of $8,000 per transaction; the company allegedly concealed fees up to 26% (compared to typical 0.24-3%
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
An 85-year-old grandmother nearly fell victim to an imposter scam when scammers posing as her bank claimed she owed $50,000 in fraudulent charges, then connected her with someone impersonating an FTC official who pressured her to purchase prepaid debit cards for payment. According to the FTC, fraud losses for seniors have surged dramatically, with losses of $10,000 or more quadrupling between 2020 and 2024, as scammers exploit fear and use untraceable payment methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, and prepaid cards. Key protective measures include recognizing red flags such as unexpected contact from institutions, requests for unusual payment
thenewsminute.com
· 2025-12-07
A Special Investigation Team in Kochi is investigating a massive digital fraud scheme involving the bogus online trading platform Capitalix, which has defrauded multiple Kerala residents of an estimated Rs 28 crore total. A 49-year-old pharmaceutical company owner lost Rs 24.76 crore after depositing money in installments since March 2023 based on promises of high returns, while a 59-year-old woman lost Rs 2.88 crore through a related "virtual arrest" scam where perpetrators impersonated police officials. The platform, registered in California but believed to operate from Cyprus, used Malayalam-speaking operators contacting victims via phone and Telegram
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-07
Text message job scams have surged in recent years, with reported losses rising from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million by 2024. Contrary to expectations, younger Americans—particularly Gen Z (20%) and millennials (16%)—are more vulnerable to these scams than older generations, with young men being especially susceptible due to financial pressures, career inexperience, and the appeal of fast remote income. Among victims who engaged with scam texts, approximately 30% had money stolen from their accounts and 45% shared personal information with scammers.
fun107.com
· 2025-12-07
Bridget Phillips of Rhode Island was victimized by serial romance scammer Ricky Morrisey, who was featured in the Netflix docuseries "Love Con Revenge." Morrisey was sentenced in September 2025 to three years (five months in jail) and ordered to pay $13,630 in restitution after stealing over $13,000 from Phillips' account tied to her deceased father's estate, plus sentimental items including a family gold coin. Morrisey employed multiple manipulation tactics across his fraud scheme, including fabricating military service stories and falsely claiming insurance money, in attempts to con multiple victims out of money.
sebastopoltimes.com
· 2025-12-07
A Sebastopol resident, Shai Plonski, fell victim to a romance scam in 2022 that began on Facebook and involved a fake cryptocurrency trading app, resulting in financial loss. The scam is part of a larger trafficking operation where workers from underdeveloped countries are smuggled across borders, imprisoned, and forced under threat of violence to perpetrate romance scams (known as "pig butchering") to repay their traffickers. Plonski is now publicly sharing his experience through a YouTube video to help prevent others from becoming victims of these operations, which are often linked to organized crime and generate millions by exploiting both the trafficked workers and their romance scam victims
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Netflix's docuseries *Love Con Revenge*, hosted by Shimon Hayut fraud victim Cecilie Fjellhøy, explores online dating scams and catfishing through real case investigations conducted with private investigator Brianne Joseph. The series documents multiple romance fraud schemes affecting both men and women, and features one case—involving fraudster Ricky Morrissey who deceived his girlfriend out of money with a false Army story—that resulted in his conviction on three felony charges of fraud and larceny. The show provides education on common scammer tactics while demonstrating that romance fraud victims can achieve justice when law enforcement pursues cases seriously.
aol.com
· 2025-12-07
Netflix's "Love Con Revenge" docuseries exposes romance scams where fraudsters manipulate victims into sending money through fake romantic relationships. The documentary follows cases including Todd Dean (the "Selfie Scammer") who convinced at least eight women to invest in a fake wellness startup, resulting in a $30,727.50 court judgment against him; and Ricky Morrisey, who stole over $13,000 from victim Bridget Phillips and was convicted of three felony counts, receiving a three-year prison sentence in September 2025, while some scammers continue to evade accountability.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-07
In February 2024, former U.S. Ambassador Cindy Dyer testified to the Senate about the connection between human trafficking abroad and romance scams targeting older Americans, noting that scam centers in Southeast Asia—particularly Cambodia—force trafficking victims to defraud Americans out of millions of dollars and life savings. The FTC estimated that Americans lost $158 billion to all fraud in 2023, with older Americans reporting $277 million in romance scam losses that year, though actual figures are likely much higher due to underreporting. Experts stress that international cooperation is essential to combat these overseas-based scams, but such efforts have been hindered by reduced foreign aid and weakened international all
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
A 68-year-old Blairsville, Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fraud and theft of government property after fraudulently obtaining over $34,000 in benefits between January 2020 and June 2025 by failing to report income from nine different employers. Foster concealed his employment and wages from the Social Security Administration, making him ineligible for the needs-based SSI benefits designed for disabled and elderly individuals with little or no income. He faces sentencing on January 21, 2026, with a potential maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
A 28-year-old Port Arthur woman was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for wire fraud involving the theft of $1.4 million from an elderly victim's retirement accounts. Over approximately one year, Joanne Schiwart impersonated the victim by phone to fraudulently access the accounts, using stolen personally identifying information to deceive the investment company, and spent the funds on vehicles for herself and others. The court ordered her to pay $1,464,761.47 in restitution.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-07
Affinity fraud and friendship scams represent an evolving variation of romance scams where criminals build false bonds with victims by claiming shared interests—such as hobbies, support groups, or online gaming—rather than romantic attraction, exploiting the trust that develops from perceived commonality. Recent victims reported to the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline lost $10,000 and over $100,000 respectively after scammers posed as friends and requested loans via Cash App, Bitcoin, and gift cards with no intent to repay. The scams typically begin with unsolicited contact on social media, friendship apps, or through wrong-number texts, after which perpetrators quickly attempt to establish rapport an
ksl.com
· 2025-12-07
A 20-year-old Colorado woman was charged in Utah with communications fraud, theft by deception, and impersonating a police officer after stealing approximately $1,800 from a Salt Lake County woman using a jury duty scam. The victim received a call from someone claiming to be a sheriff's deputy, threatening arrest for missed jury duty and demanding a fine, which the victim paid via phone transfer and Apple Pay. Investigators traced the financial accounts back to Lexi Navarrette Johnson, whose phone number and accounts matched those used in the scam.
6abc.com
· 2025-12-07
Chinese national students in Philadelphia and across the United States have been targeted in an extortion scam in which fraudsters impersonate Chinese law enforcement officers, accuse victims of financial crimes, and demand payment ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars via wire transfer or cryptocurrency. The FBI's Philadelphia Field Office has identified more than 100 victims in the Philadelphia region alone, with hundreds more affected nationwide, and scammers often isolate victims by instructing them not to speak about the alleged investigation and telling them to purchase new phones or relocate. The FBI advises students to hang up on such calls, contact 911 if threatened, and report suspicious activity to the Philadelphia FBI office or the Internet Crime Complaint Center
wsmv.com
· 2025-12-07
The Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky reported an uptick in "emergency scams" targeting families, particularly as college students return to campus. Scammers impersonate loved ones claiming urgent situations (arrests, accidents, medical emergencies) and request money, using voice-altering technology and social media details to make their pleas convincing. The BBB advises verifying requests by contacting loved ones directly, asking verification questions, and never sending money to unverified sources through payment apps, gift cards, or wire transfers.
observervoice.com
· 2025-12-07
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned multiple scam organizations operating in Burma and Cambodia on September 8, targeting groups responsible for approximately $10 billion in fraud losses from Americans in 2024, including romance scams and fake investment schemes. The sanctions freeze assets and prohibit U.S. citizens and companies from conducting business with two dozen sanctioned entities and individuals, addressing both financial crime and human trafficking operations that have seen a 66% increase in funds stolen from Americans originating from Southeast Asia.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-07
Federal authorities indicted Brookfield resident Ankurkumar Patel, 41, for participating in "phantom hacker scams" that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states of over $1 million. Patel allegedly served as a money launderer in the scheme, physically collecting gold bars and cash from victims who were tricked by scammers posing as government agents and company representatives claiming their identities had been compromised. Specific victims included a Vietnam veteran in Illinois who lost over $1 million in gold bars and a Sheboygan elderly woman who lost $27,500, with additional fraud occurring in Minnesota and Missouri.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
A St. Louis lawyer, John J. Diehl Jr., pleaded guilty to wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining $379,900 in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) that he misrepresented would be used for business working capital but instead used for personal expenses including vehicles, mortgages, country club dues, and retirement accounts between 2020 and 2023. Diehl faces up to 20 years in prison at his December 19 sentencing, though he has repaid the full amount to the U.S. Treasury.
cubaheadlines.com
· 2025-12-07
Ana María Núñez, a 68-year-old woman with at least 16 prior fraud convictions, is on trial for defrauding a 78-year-old terminally ill woman in Doral of over $430,000 by posing as her daughter and obtaining power of attorney to transfer the victim's home and savings. Núñez and her son allegedly exploited the victim as her health declined from cancer; she faces multiple additional pending charges for other scams dating back to at least 1996, including a $105,000 investment fraud and another elderly victim scheme yielding $437,107. Authorities suspect the actual number of victims exceeds those documente
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Eight members of a transnational money laundering conspiracy, seven Indian nationals and one Ohio resident, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 2 to 6 years for laundering proceeds from "phantom hacker" fraud schemes that victimized residents across Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana between May and November 2023. The scam involved fraudsters falsely claiming victims' accounts were compromised, then impersonating law enforcement to pressure victims into transferring their life savings under the guise of account protection. The eight defendants were ordered to pay nearly $4 million in restitution to victims who lost their life savings.
wislawjournal.com
· 2025-12-07
Ankurkumar Patel, a Brookfield man, was indicted on money laundering charges for his role in a "phantom hacker scheme" that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states by posing as customer service and law enforcement agents to trick victims into transferring funds. Patel allegedly personally retrieved over $1 million from victims and conspired to launder the money through anonymous transactions, with one victim from Sheboygan identified in the case. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment and fines up to $500,000 if convicted on the money laundering conspiracy charge.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-07
An elderly couple in New Zealand lost tens of thousands of dollars after being contacted by phone and tricked into providing their PIN and placing their bank card in their mailbox for collection. Law enforcement and online safety experts described the scam as increasingly sophisticated, noting that scammers use psychological manipulation tactics and that anyone—not just older adults—can fall victim, though only about 17% of scam victims successfully recover their money. The incident highlighted the importance of technology education and warned against allowing family members to assist with online banking, as they may access sensitive information.