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Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee was charged with laundering approximately $1.5 million from elderly women (ages 64-79) in Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, and Utah who believed they were sending money to romantic interests between September and December. Echohawk received funds through various methods, converted most to cryptocurrency, and transferred the funds to an unidentified male subject while using some proceeds personally and lying to banks about the money's source. She faces multiple felony charges including unlawful use of criminal proceeds and violations of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act, with charges filed by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.

Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, Oklahoma, was arrested and charged with laundering approximately $1.5 million from online romance scams targeting elderly women aged 64-79 in Florida, Texas, and Utah between September and December 2023. The victims, believing they were in relationships with men, sent money through various methods including Apple gift cards, cash, and wire transfers, which Echohawk deposited into her bank accounts, converted to cryptocurrency, and transferred to an unidentified male subject. Echohawk faces five felony counts carrying potential sentences of 24 to 62 years in prison and fines up to $260,000, with notable individual

Christine Echohawk, 53, of Pawnee, Oklahoma, was arrested and charged with laundering approximately $1.5 million obtained through online romance scams targeting four elderly women (ages 64-79) across Utah, Texas, and Florida. One victim sent over $600,000 between April 2023 and March 2025 to a man using the alias "Edward Lotts," who claimed he needed to pay off a debt to access $2 million, and she sold her house to fund the payments. Echohawk facilitated the fraud by opening multiple bank accounts to receive the funds, converting them to cryptocurrency, and transferring them to wallets controlled by

A Manatee County, Florida woman lost $2,400 in a spoofed bank and FTC impersonation scam after receiving a fraudulent email claiming an unauthorized Apple charge on her Chase account. The scammer posed as both a bank representative and FTC official, convincing her to purchase gift cards at multiple retailers (Lowe's, Walmart, and Winn Dixie) under the false premise that authorities were tracking a hacker. The FTC reports that fraud losses increased 25% in 2024, with seniors losing over $2.3 billion, and emphasizes that legitimate government agencies never demand gift card payments or threaten to freeze accounts.

A phishing campaign impersonating toll agencies like E-ZPass, FasTrak, and Florida Turnpike has surged recently, sending thousands of iMessage and SMS texts with urgent language claiming unpaid tolls to trick recipients into clicking malicious links that steal personal and credit card information. The scam uses automated attacks bypassing anti-spam filters, with some users receiving up to 7 messages daily; victims are advised to avoid responding, block the numbers, and check toll balances directly on official websites rather than through text links.

A scammer impersonating JPMorgan Chase and PayPal defrauded two Florida victims of $30,000 total through a multi-stage scheme involving fake security alerts about unauthorized Bitcoin purchases, threats of arrest for money laundering, and impersonation of a Chase fraud officer and FBI agent. The victims were instructed to withdraw cash ($18,000 from the first victim and $12,000 from the second) and hand it to a courier who visited their homes; suspect Wilkens Eugene was arrested when the second victim became suspicious after being contacted again for an additional $60,000.

Carmen Valdez De Miguel, 67, was arrested in Florida after allegedly defrauding a man of at least $3,000 through a fake tarot card reading and "spiritual cleansing" scam that began with a flyer on his car. De Miguel, who used the alias Maria Rodriguez, convinced the victim to pay $200 initially for a tarot reading, then persuaded him to bring $3,000 in cash for a ritual where she claimed the money would double, but kept the funds by claiming they were part of an ongoing ritual. De Miguel faces charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, and resisting arrest, and investigators discovered she had three additional theft warrants.

Priscilla Presley won a procedural ruling in her California elder abuse lawsuit against ex-associates Brigitte Kruse, Kruse's husband, and investor Kevin Fialko, with a Los Angeles judge determining the case should proceed in California rather than Florida. Presley claims the defendants defrauded her out of more than $1 million through a scheme that involved gaining her trust, isolating her from family, and manipulating her into signing contracts that gave them controlling interest in her publicity rights. The judge emphasized that the elder abuse allegations—the "beating heart" of the case—center on California, where Presley resides and where the alleged abuse occurred.

Priscilla Presley, 79, won a court ruling when a Santa Monica judge denied a motion by business associates Kevin Fialko and Brigitte Kruse to delay her fraud and elder abuse lawsuit. Presley alleges that Fialko and Kruse fraudulently separated her from trusted advisers and bilked her out of more than $1 million through entities formed under Florida law. The judge emphasized that the elder abuse claims, unique to the California case, were central to Presley's allegations and rejected the defendants' attempts to move the litigation to Florida.

I cannot provide a summary as the article content has expired and is no longer available. The page only shows a notice indicating the news article has been removed from the Florida Realtors website. To obtain information about this topic, you may contact the Florida Realtors News section directly or email [email protected].

This article does not contain information relevant to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a sports article about Thanksgiving week basketball tournaments in Southwest Florida. It is not appropriate for the Elderus database.

A 36-year-old Florida woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling approximately $535,751 in customer cash down payments and deposits from a New Orleans car dealership where she worked as a senior accountant between November 2018 and May 2023. She concealed the theft by creating fake journal entries in the dealership's records and agreed to pay full restitution as part of her plea agreement. She faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for June 25, 2025.

According to a 2024 Statista study, 90% of US adults aged 65 and older use the internet, making them frequent targets for online scams, particularly in states with older populations like Florida and Texas. The National Council on Aging recommends six protective strategies including listening without judgment, encouraging delayed responses to urgent-sounding messages, and involving anti-fraud organizations and peer networks to help vulnerable seniors recognize and avoid romance scams, crypto schemes, and other fraud.

This educational piece by an elder law attorney identifies three major scam types targeting seniors: confidence scams (where perpetrators build trust to gain financial access), tech support scams (unsolicited offers to fix computer problems in exchange for payment or personal information), and government impersonation scams (fraudsters posing as IRS, law enforcement, or Social Security officials). The article emphasizes that seniors, particularly isolated "elder orphans" without family support, are especially vulnerable and provides protective advice including verifying agency contacts independently and reporting suspected fraud to the National Elder Fraud Hotline or FTC.

Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill faced a court hearing on charges including elderly exploitation, where she contested claims that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) manipulated the alleged victim's testimony. Hill was indicted one year prior and is scheduled to stand trial in May 2025 on fraud and elder abuse charges.

Florida ranked as the number one state for fraud according to a Federal Trade Commission report, with $866 million in reported losses last year, and South Florida leading the nation with over 171,000 fraud reports. Romance scams were the most costly scheme, causing $89 million in losses to Floridians, followed by job and real estate scams. A Miramar woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison in January for laundering nearly $3 million from romance scams.

Florida courts ordered moving brokerage companies operated by Charles Abrams, Rudolph Rice, and Daniel Metz to pay $4.139 million in settlements and imposed lifetime bans from operating in the state after they defrauded Florida residents by providing low initial quotes, demanding excessive additional payments, and failing to honor promised refunds. The companies operated under multiple aliases including Gold Standard Moving Storage, Executive Van Lines, Imperial Moving Group, and others, deliberately changing names to evade negative reviews and complaints. The settlement includes $1.12 million designated for consumer relief to be distributed to affected customers.

Romance scams are surging and costing victims billions of dollars, prompting congressional attention and bipartisan legislative efforts. Lawmakers are advancing a bill that would require dating apps to issue warnings about flagged accounts, while experts warn that artificial intelligence is making these scams increasingly difficult for users to detect.

While scams affect all ages, elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable due to isolation, memory issues, and embarrassment that often prevents reporting and recovery efforts. Florida attorneys report multiple active cases among their clients, with victims—especially recently widowed or cognitively declining seniors—often spending significant time and emotional energy shutting down fraudulent accounts and hiding their exploitation from family. The article highlights common scams targeting seniors including grandparent schemes, arrest warrant threats, romance scams, and toll violations, while noting that proposed Florida legislation aims to make it easier to prosecute scammers through the communication channels they use.

Phillip Priolo, a 61-year-old from Florida, was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and four counts of mail fraud for operating a mass mailing scheme from March 2015 to December 2016 that defrauded thousands of elderly victims. The scheme involved sending millions of personalized-appearing notices falsely claiming recipients had won a cash prize and requesting an upfront fee to collect it; victims who paid never received the promised prize. Priolo faces up to 20 years in prison per count, with sentencing to be scheduled later in 2022.

Sarah Works, a 28-year-old Port St. Lucie woman, was arrested following a SWAT raid after an investigation revealed she had fraudulently gained the trust of an elderly victim by posing as a caregiver, then exploited that position to access the victim's bank accounts, credit cards, and personal identification. The fraud was discovered when a family member living out of state noticed suspicious bank activity and alerted authorities; Works also fraudulently obtained power of attorney documents that the victim unknowingly signed. Works is being held without bond on charges including scheme to defraud, fraudulent use of credit cards, and criminal use of personal identification, and this represents her third arrest in two

A 28-year-old woman named Sarah Work was arrested in St. Lucie County, Florida following a SWAT team raid as part of an elder fraud investigation conducted by the Sheriff's Office. The article does not provide specific details about the fraud scheme, dollar amounts, or victims affected in the excerpt provided.

A Central Florida man lost $47,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam that began with a fraudulent "accidental" text message. The scammer used "financial grooming" tactics—building rapport over weeks through personal conversations—before convincing him to invest in crypto, showing fake profits of $196,000 before claiming his account was frozen for "insider trading" and denying withdrawal requests. The U.S. Secret Service and FTC warn that such investment scams are prevalent, with Floridians losing $624 million to investment fraud in 2023, and advise ignoring unsolicited text messages from unknown contacts.

This article is a community recognition column highlighting local philanthropists and public servants in Manatee County, Florida, not an article about fraud or elder abuse. However, it does mention that Detective Jim Curulla and Officer Deana McNeal from the Bradenton Police Department's Elder Fraud Unit received the Tiger Bay Club's Pat Glass First Responders Leadership Award, acknowledging their work in combating elder fraud.

A Florida Senate bill seeks to expand protections for elderly scam victims by allowing legal service of injunctions to anonymous online fraudsters through the platforms where they made contact, rather than requiring traditional certified mail. The measure was prompted by cases like a widow who lost $2.5 million to a romance scammer on a dating app despite family intervention and court orders to freeze assets. In 2023, Americans over 60 lost $3.4 billion to financial exploitation, with such crimes rising 11 percent from 2022.

Makayla Crumedy of Huntsville, Alabama, fell victim to a text message scam claiming she owed unpaid toll fees after visiting Florida; after entering her banking information through a suspicious link, she was charged over $1,000 to her account but successfully recovered the funds through fraud claims. The scam, which also targeted her grandmother, involved a text from an email address with random letters—a red flag that legitimate toll offices never use text messages with links to demand payment and may threaten license suspension. The Better Business Bureau advises recipients to delete and block such messages, as reputable agencies will never text toll payment demands.

Florida authorities shut down hundreds of fraudulent SunPass toll websites used in phishing scams targeting users' personal and financial information, but reports indicate scammers continue sending fake toll notice text messages. Consumers are advised to verify toll notices directly through official SunPass/E-ZPass channels, avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, and recognize that threats of immediate penalties are typical scam indicators.

Michael P. Garcia, 36, of Miami was arrested in Florida and indicted on conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a scam that defrauded at least four victims of over $550,000. Garcia allegedly recruited couriers to collect cash, gold bars, and other valuables from victims after conspirators falsely claimed to represent financial institutions and told victims their accounts had been compromised. Specific victims included individuals in Brooklyn and North Carolina, and a 76-year-old Fenton, Missouri resident who lost $20,000 in cryptocurrency and approximately $200,000 in gold bars.

Fraudsters are sending phishing text messages to drivers claiming they owe unpaid toll fees, impersonating legitimate services like SunPass and E-ZPass to trick recipients into clicking malicious links that install malware or steal personal information. Multiple Jacksonville residents reported receiving the scam texts, which contain red flags such as misspellings and references to out-of-state toll services, though one potential victim (Rhonda Caseletto) avoided the scam by verifying through the official app. Experts warn that legitimate toll companies never demand payment via text and recommend deleting suspicious messages, changing financial passwords, and monitoring accounts if clicked, with reports able to be filed with the FBI or Florida

Five Florida residents, including Ronald Vargas of Osteen who worked for the retirement fund company, were convicted or pleaded guilty to stealing over $1.1 million from 401(k) retirement accounts belonging to 25 elderly retired school district employees between January and March 2022. The scheme involved submitting fraudulent withdrawal forms to transfer victims' funds to accounts controlled by the conspirators, with charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. All five defendants face sentencing on April 28, 2024, with potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison.

Five Florida residents, including Ronald Vargas who worked for a 401(k) management company, orchestrated a fraud scheme that stole over $1 million from the retirement accounts of 25 older, retired school district employees between January and March 2022. Vargas exploited his access to employees' personal information and authority to approve withdrawals, while his co-conspirators laundered the stolen funds through cash withdrawals and luxury purchases; the group successfully stole $1,007,563 of the $1.4 million they attempted to take. All five defendants have been convicted or pleaded guilty to charges including wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering, with sentencing schedule

Five Florida defendants were convicted in a 401(k) fraud scheme that targeted retired school district employees, stealing $1.1 million in retirement funds between January and March 2022. Ronald Vargas, an employee of the retirement fund company, worked with co-conspirators to submit fraudulent withdrawal forms and transfer victims' funds to accounts they controlled. All five defendants face sentencing on April 28, 2025, with potential sentences up to 20 years imprisonment and mandatory minimum sentences of two years for conspiracy charges.

An 85-year-old woman from Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, was defrauded of over $35,000 by Shania Baptiste, 25, from Brooklyn, and accomplices who convinced her she had won $1 million in the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes and needed to pay taxes and fees upfront. Bank tellers initially warned the victim about the scam, but the suspects instructed her to visit a different bank by falsely claiming the funds were for family home repairs in New York. Baptiste was extradited to Florida and charged with Organized Scheme to Defraud and Grand Theft over $20,000, with $20

Five defendants were convicted in a conspiracy to steal $1.1 million in retirement funds from 25 different 401(k) accounts belonging to elderly retired Florida school district employees between January and March 2022, with insider Vargas, who worked for the retirement fund company, orchestrating fraudulent withdrawal forms faxed to the company. The conspirators face up to 20 years in prison, with four defendants facing a mandatory minimum of two years, and sentencing is scheduled for April 28, 2025.

A 30-year-old Florida man was ordered to pay over $1.1 million for operating EmpiresX, a $100 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors across 50+ countries from 2020-2021. The article explains common crypto scams including Ponzi schemes, pig-butchering scams (which combine romance fraud with fake investment schemes), and advises protection strategies such as verifying investment legitimacy, being cautious of unsolicited financial offers, and understanding that cryptocurrency transactions are difficult to reverse or recover.

An 84-year-old woman in Volusia County, Florida was defrauded out of approximately $32,500 in a fake Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes scam in June 2023, after being told she won $1 million and needed to pay upfront taxes. Two suspects were arrested, including 25-year-old Shania Baptiste, who was extradited from New York and faces felony charges of fraud and grand theft; the victim had sent two checks ($20,000 and $12,500) despite warnings from bank and store employees that she was being scammed. The case highlights the ongoing threat of PCH impersonation scams targeting

This article announces the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's eighth annual fraud awareness forum scheduled for March 4 in Sun City Center, Florida, designed to educate seniors about evolving scams and fraud prevention. The free event will feature presentations on AI fraud, nonprofit fraud, and the emotional impact of scams, with expert panelists available for questions and community resources on-site. The forum emphasizes that education is the primary defense against victimization, as scammers continually adapt their tactics using advancing technology.

Akiel Doman, 34, of North Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 44 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $234,995 in restitution for operating a nationwide lottery fraud scheme targeting seniors between May 2020 and July 2022. Doman and associates called victims across the United States falsely claiming they had won lottery prizes, then instructed them to pay upfront fees or taxes to claim their winnings, directing the money to Doman's bank accounts. The conviction also included criminal contempt charges for violating a 2019 court order that had previously prohibited him from participating in lottery fraud schemes.

Romance scams cost Americans over $1 billion in 2023, with organized networks of overseas scammers targeting vulnerable people on dating apps and social media. A central Florida woman lost her entire life savings of over $600,000 to a scammer impersonating Elon Musk using AI voice technology, transferring large sums through wire transfers and ATM withdrawals to purchase gift cards. Red flags include relationships that move quickly, no in-person meetings, claims of celebrity or military status, and requests for money or investment participation; victims should report incidents to the FBI's IC3 website and the FTC.

Marjorie Kessler, a senior investor in Tampa, Florida, lost nearly $1.75 million to scammers impersonating government officials who convinced her to withdraw funds for safekeeping in a U.S. Treasury account. Morgan Stanley was ordered to pay $843,000 in compensatory damages for failing to investigate her unusual withdrawal requests and neglecting to establish a trusted contact on her account as required by regulations, though the arbitration panel deducted the first transfer amount due to insufficient evidence of negligence.

Scam artists are sending fake E-Z Pass text messages from Philippine numbers (+63) claiming recipients have unpaid tolls and requesting sensitive personal information. The legitimate E-Z Pass and Tolls by Mail services confirm they never request personal information via text or email, and this scam has been reported across multiple states including New York, California, Florida, and Texas.

A 76-year-old Morgan Stanley client in Florida was defrauded of $1.75 million in a "gold bar" scam where fraudsters impersonated federal agents and convinced her to liquidate assets and purchase gold bullion for transfer to a supposed government escrow account. Morgan Stanley was ordered to pay $843,000 in damages after a Finra arbitration panel found the firm violated industry rules designed to protect senior investors, specifically the "trusted contact" standard and the financial exploitation of senior citizens rule, by failing to alert her son (who was involved in her financial decisions) about suspicious large withdrawals.

A Bay Area woman lost over $400,000 in life savings after receiving a fraudulent text claiming unauthorized pornography purchases on her accounts, which prompted her to call scammers who used fear tactics to gain access to her finances. The incident highlights a gap in California consumer protection laws, as Governor Newsom previously rejected a bill that would have allowed banks to delay transactions and notify account holders, similar to protections already in place in Florida.

**Summary:** John Sposato, a 73-year-old Mississippi resident, was sentenced to 10 months in prison plus an additional 6 months for violating supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. While on supervised release from a prior conviction, Sposato attempted to deposit a counterfeit $10,000 check drawn on a Florida nonprofit organization's account into a credit union account under his shell company name, Pegasus Consulting, and falsely claimed to probation officers that the check was legitimate consulting compensation.

A 77-year-old woman in Walton County, Florida lost $129,500 in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme after scammers impersonating a bank representative instructed her to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM machine. The Walton County Sheriff's Office deemed this the largest fraud case in their county, with investigators believing the suspect is likely operating from overseas and noting that Bitcoin transactions are irreversible, making recovery unlikely. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes that seniors are frequently targeted by these scams and recommends education and awareness programs as the best defense.

A 77-year-old Walton County, Florida woman lost $129,500 in a Bitcoin scam after receiving unsolicited calls from someone claiming to represent her bank, who instructed her to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM. Once the transaction was completed, the funds were irreversible and unrecoverable, making this the largest fraud case the Walton County Sheriff's Office has encountered. Investigators believe the suspect is likely overseas, making the case difficult to pursue at the local level.

This article does not involve elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It describes a road rage incident in DeLand, Florida, where a 22-year-old man fired multiple gunshots at another vehicle during a traffic dispute, narrowly missing the passenger. The suspect was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and weapons-related offenses. This content falls outside the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database.

South Florida residents received phishing text messages claiming unpaid toll deadlines and threatening late fees or legal action, with fake links mimicking SunPass (a toll agency) to steal banking information and personal data. The scam targets toll customers nationwide and uses urgency tactics to prevent victims from verifying legitimacy. Authorities advise recipients to avoid clicking links, verify messages through official SunPass channels (786727 number or official email addresses), check accounts directly on sunpass.com, and report suspected scams to their messaging app or by forwarding to 7726.

A 32-year-old home health aide in Collier County, Florida was arrested for stealing bank and credit card information from an 82-year-old surgery patient she was hired to care for through a senior-caregiver app, then used the compromised accounts to make unauthorized purchases including Amazon orders and car insurance payments. The victim discovered the fraud when her bank statements stopped arriving and she found her accounts had been compromised. Experts note that such in-home caregiver scams are increasingly common, particularly targeting isolated seniors who may lack technological literacy, and recommend education and vigilance to recognize fraudulent tactics.

Florida drivers are being targeted by a phishing scam via text message impersonating SunPass, the state's electronic toll collection system, which falsely claims unpaid tolls are due by January 21, 2025, and threatens late fees and legal action to pressure recipients into clicking a malicious link. The scam is designed to steal personal information or money, and SunPass does not typically send unsolicited text payment demands; recipients should ignore the link and instead verify account information directly through the official SunPass website or customer service. Those who receive the fraudulent message should report it to their mobile carrier, the FTC, or Florida's Attorney General.