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Cristine Petitfrere, 30, of Florida admitted to conspiring to launder over $2.7 million from romance scam victims by receiving funds in bank accounts, keeping a portion as fees, and forwarding the remainder to overseas co-conspirators. Romance scams involve fraudsters creating fake online personas to exploit victims financially, with Americans losing $1.14 billion to such schemes in 2023, many targeting elderly individuals. Petitfrere faces up to 10 years in prison at her December 11 sentencing in the Southern District of Florida.

Cristine Petitfrere, 30, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to laundering $2.7 million obtained through romance scams, in which she and co-conspirators created fake online personas to defraud vulnerable victims, many elderly, and transferred funds through bank accounts to associates abroad while retaining hundreds of thousands for herself. She faces up to 10 years in prison at her December 11 sentencing. Romance scams cost Americans $1.14 billion last year, with victims often deceived by fabricated stories and fake professional identities designed to extract money through wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

Elder fraud caused over $3.4 billion in losses to seniors in 2023, with an average loss of $34,000 per victim, and Florida had the second-highest number of complaints that year. The most common scams include tech support fraud, personal data breaches, romance scams, non-delivery scams, and investment scams (which cause the largest financial losses). To protect against fraud, seniors should never share personal information with unknown callers, verify requests by contacting organizations directly, be skeptical of unsolicited offers, and report suspected fraud to authorities as soon as possible.

Cristine Petitfrere, a 30-year-old from Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy after funneling over $2.7 million from romance scam victims to an overseas co-conspirator, keeping hundreds of thousands in fees for herself. Romance scams—where fraudsters create fake online personas to exploit victims financially and emotionally—cost Americans $1.14 billion in 2023, often targeting elderly individuals. Petitfrere faces up to 10 years in prison at her December 11 sentencing.

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Cristine Petitfrere, 30, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to money laundering approximately $2.7 million obtained from elderly victims of romance scams, earning hundreds of thousands in fees by routing victim funds to foreign co-conspirators. Romance scams, which involve fraudsters creating fake online personas to manipulate victims into sending money, cost Americans $1.14 billion in 2023 according to the Federal Trade Commission. Petitfrere faces up to ten years in prison at her December 11 sentencing in the Southern District of Florida.

A 30-year-old woman from Miramar, Florida pleaded guilty to money laundering involving millions of dollars stolen from elderly romance scam victims and transferred to foreign co-conspirators. Petitfrere used bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of fraud proceeds obtained through romance scams targeting seniors.

Tanya M. Aboseada, 39, of Florida, was sentenced to 3 years in prison for defrauding her elderly grandmother in Illinois of $317,049 through wire fraud between November 2021 and August 2022. Aboseada made multiple false claims to convince her grandmother to wire money, including fabricated stories about needing funds for vehicle transfers, IRS debts, legal fees, and to pay off a family after a fatal accident. She was ordered to pay full restitution of $317,049 and serve three years of supervised release.

In 2023, over 65,000 Americans lost more than $1 billion to romance scams, with Florida experiencing the second-highest number of victims nationally and $63 million in losses. One Orlando victim, Rebecca D'Antonio, lost approximately $100,000 over a year to a scammer posing as "Matthew Shaun" who fabricated emergencies requiring wire transfers, leading her to take out loans and eventually file for bankruptcy. Experts warn that rising artificial intelligence technology is making romance scams increasingly difficult to detect and more prevalent.

Researchers at the University of Florida found that older adults who are more attuned to their own heartbeat are 15-20% better at detecting phishing emails and identifying liars, suggesting that "gut instinct" or bodily awareness could be trained to help protect seniors against fraud. The study tested over 100 participants across age groups and found that enhanced bodily awareness specifically benefited older adults in spotting deception in both email and video scenarios, which is significant given that seniors lose more than $28 billion annually to financial scams.

A 39-year-old Florida woman, Tanya Aboseada, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud for scamming her elderly grandmother in Illinois out of $317,049 between November 2021 and August 2022. Aboseada fabricated elaborate stories—including claims about owing IRS money, paying attorney fees, and needing to pay a family after a fatal accident—to convince her grandmother to wire money into her bank account on multiple occasions. She was ordered to pay full restitution of $317,049 and serve three years of supervised release.

A University of Florida study found that older adults with greater bodily awareness—specifically those who could accurately detect their own heartbeat—were 15-20% better at spotting phishing emails and detecting lies in videos. The research suggests that training older adults to tune into their internal physical signals could help reduce scams that cost seniors over $28 billion annually, though researchers note further investigation is needed to develop such training programs.

A University of Florida study found that older adults who were more attuned to their body's signals, such as heartbeat awareness, were 15-20% better at detecting lies and phishing scams. Researchers tested over 100 participants across two age groups by measuring their ability to count their heartbeat and then assessing their performance in identifying fake emails and deceptive videos, suggesting that training people to recognize these internal bodily cues could help combat the $28 billion in annual financial losses older adults experience from scams.

At least six U.S. states (Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Connecticut, Maine, and Delaware) are enacting legislation to give banks new tools to identify and block suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as cyber fraud against older adults rises and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau remains inactive. In 2023, impersonation scams alone caused $1.3 billion in losses with nearly half of victims over 60, and seniors filed over 101,000 complaints totaling $3.4 billion in losses. The state bills vary in their approach and liability provisions for financial institutions, though all aim to empower banks to halt or delay transactions suspected of elder financial exploitation.

At least six U.S. states—Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Connecticut, Maine, and Delaware—are enacting legislation to empower banks to identify and block suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as cyber fraud against older adults rises with seniors losing $3.4 billion in 2023 alone, largely through impersonation scams. These state-level efforts aim to fill federal protection gaps, though they create varying liability standards for financial institutions and may complicate compliance across different jurisdictions. Florida has already signed nine bills into law effective January 2024, while Pennsylvania's House Bill 2064 and similar measures in other states would allow banks to delay or refuse fraudulent transactions and face reimbursement liability

Two Lexington men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud after scamming at least five victims across five states out of more than $500,000 through email and romance scams between December 2021 and late 2022. Kenneth J. Brown Jr. and Nicholas R. Shepard, who owned Golden Eagle Precious Metals Exchange, converted stolen funds into cryptocurrency and face up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 in fines. The scams targeted individuals from Colorado to Florida, with victims losing thousands of dollars each in schemes involving false claims about money transfers and fraudulent romance solicitations.

Two Lexington men, Kenneth J. Brown Jr. and Nicholas R. Shepard, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to wire and mail fraud after scamming at least five victims across five states out of over $500,000 through email and romance scams between December 2021 and 2022. The pair operated Golden Eagle Precious Metals Exchange and converted stolen funds into cryptocurrency, facing potential sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 fines.

Cryptocurrency scams targeting seniors have risen sharply, with fraudsters impersonating federal agents and falsely claiming victims' bank accounts are compromised, then pressuring them to deposit money into cryptocurrency ATMs for purported "government protection." The article provides four key preventative measures: verify communications through official government channels, educate yourself on common scammer tactics, use only reputable cryptocurrency exchanges with security features, and exercise caution with cryptocurrency ATMs. Resources like the Orlando Senior Help Desk (407-678-9363) are available to help seniors and families identify potential fraud.

This educational piece by attorney Tara David discusses preventing elder financial abuse through careful fiduciary planning and monitoring. Key recommendations include thoughtfully selecting trustees and power-of-attorney agents, reviewing these designations periodically, and revoking documents if agents become untrustworthy—with formal notification to both the agent and financial institutions. The article also advises monitoring elderly individuals' financial statements for suspicious activity, watching for new relationships (particularly remote ones, given that Florida seniors lost over $40 million to romance scams in 2023), and contacting authorities if exploitation is suspected, with guardianship available as a legal recourse for incapacitated individuals.

A Florida man's parents nearly lost $30,000 to an AI voice-cloning scam in which fraudsters impersonated him using only 15 seconds of audio from a TV appearance, falsely claiming he had been in a car accident, injured, and arrested for DUI and needed bail money. The scam demonstrates the effectiveness of AI technology in creating convincing voice replicas, prompting the man to advise families to establish secret passphrases or other identity-verification techniques to confirm the authenticity of callers during emergencies.

Florida State House candidate Jay Shooster's parents nearly fell victim to a $30,000 voice cloning scam in which fraudsters used just 15 seconds of audio from his TV appearance to impersonate him and claim he had been arrested and needed bail. Despite Shooster's prior warnings to his family about such AI-driven scams, his father almost sent the money before learning it was not his son. Shooster has since advocated for stricter legislation and recommends families use secret pass phrases to verify identities during emergencies.

**Summary:** Jay Shooster, a Florida State House candidate, revealed that his parents nearly lost $30,000 to a voice-cloning AI scam in which a caller impersonated him, claiming he was arrested and needed bail money. The scammer created a convincing voice clone using just 15 seconds of audio from Shooster's recent TV appearance. Shooster emphasized the need for increased awareness and stricter AI regulations, and highlighted how such technology poses identity verification challenges even in genuine emergencies.

Jay Shooster, a Florida State House candidate and consumer protection lawyer, revealed that scammers used AI voice cloning technology to impersonate him in a call to his father, claiming he had been in a car accident and arrested for DUI and needed $30,000 for bail. The scammers likely obtained a voice sample from Shooster's recent television appearance, and the fraud was ultimately detected when the callers refused card payment and made suspicious claims. Shooster emphasized the effectiveness of such scams despite his professional expertise and urged public awareness, while noting that voice-cloning technology creates a troubling secondary effect: the difficulty of verifying loved ones' identities during genuine emergencies.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe issued a warning about disaster fraud schemes following Hurricane Helene, urging the public to be vigilant against identity theft, fake charity solicitations, and fraudulent websites targeting hurricane victims and donors. The advisory provides guidelines for safe charitable giving, including donating directly to known organizations, avoiding unsolicited communications, and verifying charity legitimacy, with fraud reports accepted through the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline at (866) 720-5721 or online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.

U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins warned the public about charity scams following Hurricane Helene's September 2024 landfall, noting that fraudsters exploit disasters by creating fake charities and phishing communications to solicit donations. The advisory recommends donating directly to verified organizations, avoiding unsolicited communications and suspicious links, paying by credit card or check rather than cash, and reporting fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721 or online.

Federal agencies warn that hurricane-related fraud is increasing, with scammers exploiting disasters like Hurricanes Helene and Milton by impersonating charities through fraudulent emails, texts, social media, and fake websites to steal money and personal information from donors. The National Center for Disaster Fraud and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advise the public to donate directly to known organizations, avoid unsolicited communications and suspicious links, verify charity legitimacy through official websites, and be wary of high-pressure donation tactics.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, a 44-year-old Nigerian man, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for leading a $5.8 million romance scam that targeted vulnerable women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s across the United States. The victims, many widowed and seeking companionship, were deceived by fabricated romantic stories and charm, losing retirement savings, valuables, and in some cases their health and lives, with one Florida widow alone losing over $324,000. Judge John J. McConnell Jr. rejected Onyobeno's pleas for leniency, calling the scheme "

Following hurricanes Helene and Milton in the Southeast, authorities including the FCC and state attorneys general warned residents about surge in fraud and price gouging, with scammers targeting disaster victims through home repair, tree service, water treatment, and charity donation schemes. Consumers should avoid unsolicited traders, never share personal information with unverified parties, verify credentials through the Better Business Bureau, and report suspected fraud to their state attorney general or the FTC. Price gouging laws vary by state but typically prohibit selling goods or services at "unconscionable" prices during declared states of emergency.

Multiple federal agencies issued a warning ahead of Hurricane Milton about scams targeting disaster victims, including fraudulent charities, government impersonators offering fake relief, fake disaster recovery businesses, and price gouging on essential goods and services. Officials advised consumers to avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and cryptocurrency payments; not to sign over insurance checks; and to get written repair estimates, with fraud reports accepted at justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm.

In 2023, Florida residents reported 151,152 fraud cases resulting in $654.5 million in losses, with imposter scams, online shopping fraud, and prize/sweepstakes scams ranking as the top three most common schemes. Common examples include IRS and grandparent imposter scams, fake retail websites, and false Publishers Clearing House notifications, with the first half of 2024 already showing 71,351 reports and $388.6 million in losses. Multiple state and federal resources are available to help victims and prevent fraud, including the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) and the National Elder Frau

Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Florida and surrounding states experienced a surge in price gouging and scams targeting disaster victims. Price gouging—excessive increases on essential goods like fuel, groceries, and lodging—resulted in over 100 complaints to North Carolina's Attorney General alone, while scammers posed as FEMA representatives, insurance adjusters, and contractors to exploit vulnerable residents. Consumers are advised to document suspicious pricing, report gouging to state attorneys general, and remain vigilant against fraudsters during disaster recovery.

In 2023, Florida experienced 151,152 fraud reports resulting in $654.5 million in losses, with imposter scams, online shopping fraud, and prize/sweepstakes scams being the most prevalent. Common examples include IRS and grandparent imposter schemes, fake retail websites, and fraudulent lottery notifications, with victims encouraged to report incidents to local law enforcement, the Florida Attorney General, or national resources like the FBI and FTC.

Following Hurricane Milton's devastation across Florida, scammers are targeting vulnerable survivors through multiple fraud schemes including fake FEMA officials requesting personal information, unlicensed contractors demanding upfront payment, and fraudulent charities and crowdfunding campaigns. Authorities warn victims to verify legitimacy directly with agencies like FEMA (1-800-621-3362), research charities before donating, and avoid contractors who pressure immediate payment or provide evasive answers. The Better Business Bureau and FEMA emphasize that official disaster assistance contacts victims proactively, never solicits sensitive financial data unsolicited, and offers multiple forms of aid beyond the initial $750 emergency assistance.

This educational article provides guidance on safely donating to Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts while avoiding fraud schemes. It recommends using established organizations like the American Red Cross (which offers texting and website donation options), United Way, Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities, and warns against phishing scams using misspelled charity email addresses that redirect to fraudulent payment platforms like PayPal, Zelle, or Venmo. The article advises verifying GoFundMe requests and emphasizes that legitimate major organizations will not solicit donations via unsolicited emails or texts.

**Disaster Relief Fraud Alert:** As Hurricanes Milton and Helene impacted the Southeast, the National Center for Disaster Fraud warned of scammers impersonating legitimate charities through fraudulent emails, social media, texts, websites, and door-to-door solicitations targeting both disaster victims and well-intentioned donors. This pattern repeats after major hurricanes, exploiting public generosity and lack of source verification to steal money and personal information.

This educational article outlines six common scams targeting seniors in Central Florida: check tampering, voice printing/deepfakes, celebrity impersonation on social media, grandparent scams, sweepstakes fraud, and good Samaritan email scams. The piece advises seniors and families to contact the Orlando Senior Help Desk (407-678-9363) to verify suspicious communications and identify potential fraud attempts.

The IRS announced tax relief for Florida residents affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene, extending filing deadlines to May 1, 2025, for most individual and business returns, with automatic penalty relief for those with addresses in disaster areas. The IRS also warned taxpayers to be vigilant against charity scams that often follow disasters, recommending they verify charities through the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool and avoid donating via gift cards, wire transfers, or to solicitors requesting personal financial information.

An 82-year-old Florida widow lost approximately $6,000 in a lottery scam after receiving a call from someone claiming to represent Mega Millions promising her an $8 million prize. The scammer, using the name "Michael Baxter," convinced her to send cash advances to an address in Indianapolis by falsely claiming he would pay off her credit cards and send her a larger payment, but the initial payments were made with fraudulent checks that were later reversed. The FBI reports that elder fraud complaints increased 11% in 2023 to 101,000 cases involving $3.4 billion in losses, and the victim now faces nearly $40,000 in debt with significantly damaged credit

Spam calls and communication fraud have become widespread globally, with scammers frequently targeting older adults aged 65 and up, who lose an average of $35,000 per victim according to Elder Affairs Florida. In response, Florida enacted House Bill 1171 effective October 1, which reclassifies fraud charges targeting seniors, minors, and people with disabilities to more severe felony levels—elevating misdemeanors to third-degree felonies and increasing penalties for higher-level offenses. The law also allows victims whose images or likenesses were used fraudulently to pursue legal action, while the Federal Trade Commission recommends protective measures such as avoiding unknown emails, securing personal information,

This article highlights senior hunger as a widespread issue affecting low-income elderly individuals in St. Augustine, Florida, where many struggle to afford basic groceries. The non-profit organization Pie in the Sky held its 15th annual "Peace in the Park" event to raise funds and awareness, having delivered 85 tons of fresh produce to seniors in need the previous year. The initiative aims to address the "hidden hungry" among seniors by providing food assistance and volunteer connections that help seniors maintain dignity and independence while reducing hospitalizations and long-term care needs.

Scammers attempted to defraud a Florida title company by using an AI-generated deepfake video to impersonate a missing woman and fraudulently sell a vacant property. The scheme was caught before completion, but property appraiser Marty Kiar warns that AI-enabled title fraud will likely increase as criminals leverage automated tools to synthesize public property records and create sophisticated impersonations faster than ever before.

An in-home caretaker, Yvonne Wroblewski, was arrested in DeLand, Florida, for exploiting an elderly couple (one with dementia) by fraudulently using their credit cards and bank accounts to steal approximately $100,000 over several years. Wroblewski gained the family's trust and had access to their finances, computer, and home office, using the stolen funds for unauthorized purchases and even adding herself to their car insurance policy. She was charged with grand theft, exploitation of the elderly, and fraudulent use of personal identifying information, and is being held on a $60,000 bond.

Everette Jhamal Thibou, 32, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 168 months in prison as the sixth defendant in an international fraud scheme that defrauded 50 elderly victims of $11 million across West Michigan and the country. The scam used fake virus warnings and impersonations of tech companies and federal agents to trick victims into sending cash, wire transfers, and gift cards through various methods. Thibou and five other U.S.-based defendants collected fraud proceeds on behalf of scammers located in India, with a seventh defendant still at large.

This educational piece warns seniors about utility scams, where fraudsters impersonate utility companies and demand immediate payment under threat of service cutoff. The article advises recipients to hang up immediately, call their utility using the legitimate number on their bill, and report the scam to both the utility and the Federal Trade Commission. It notes that people over 65 lost nearly $1 billion to scams in 2020, with utility scams particularly prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, making West Virginia seniors especially vulnerable given the state's high elderly population.

Viraj Patel, a money mule operating in Florida, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in federal prison for laundering at least $216,000 in proceeds from government-imposter fraud schemes targeting senior citizens. Patel picked up cash and gold from victims who had been deceived by India-based conspirators into believing their identities were compromised, including one victim who was tricked into surrendering $71,000 and later $50,000 in a single scheme. The court ordered Patel to forfeit $145,000 in traceable fraud proceeds.

Utility scams targeting seniors use threatening calls about immediate service shutoffs to extort money through fear and intimidation. The article advises recipients to hang up immediately, call their utility using the legitimate number on their bill, and report the scam to both the utility company and the FTC, emphasizing that real utilities do not operate this way and that money sent to scammers is nearly impossible to recover. According to ABC News and FBI data, people over 65 lost nearly $1 billion to scams in 2020, with seniors representing most of the 23,000 victims, particularly in California, Florida, and Texas.

Three individuals were sentenced for their roles in a Ghana-based romance scam targeting elderly Americans between March 2019 and March 2022. Sadia Alhassan (18 months prison), Shawn William Smith (1 day prison), and Mohammed Saaminu Zuberu (5½ months prison) served as money launderers and intermediaries, receiving funds that victims sent via mail and commercial carriers after being deceived into believing they had romantic relationships with scammers in Ghana. The defendants were ordered to pay $581,261.67 in restitution to their victims.

Jason Rhodes and Robert Munoz were charged with federal wire fraud and identity theft conspiracy for operating grandparent scams in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, collecting approximately $230,000 from elderly victims. The scammers posed as attorneys or family members calling seniors to claim a relative needed bail money, with Rhodes and Munoz acting as couriers to collect cash; they were arrested in March after police set up an operation at a victim's residence and seized $60,000 in cash and evidence from a hotel room. Victims are urged to contact local police or the National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311) if they believe they've been targeted.

Two men from New York and Florida were arrested in March for serving as couriers in grandparent scams targeting seniors across multiple states, collecting approximately $230,000 from victims in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Iowa, and beyond. Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes allegedly received victim names and addresses from scam organizers and traveled to collect bail payments that victims believed were needed for arrested grandchildren, with one victim pair paying $18,000 before recognizing the scheme. Both men were released on unsecured bond with GPS monitoring while the investigation continues, with authorities believing numerous additional families across Rhode Island and Massachusetts were victimized.

Two men from New York and Florida were arrested in March for their roles as couriers in grandparent scams targeting seniors across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and multiple other states. In early March, Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes allegedly collected approximately $230,000 from victims in over a dozen communities before police arrested them during a surveillance operation at a victim's home in Warwick, Rhode Island. The scams involved fraudsters posing as family members, attorneys, or law enforcement to convince elderly victims to send cash via couriers, with evidence suggesting the scheme targeted victims across at least nine additional states.