Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 26,669 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
7,723 results
in Romance Scams
mainlinemedianews.com
Con artists continuously develop new scams targeting seniors, with recent tactics including AI-based fraud, unpaid toll/fine texts, investment schemes, and romance scams, while older methods like the grandparent scam remain prevalent. One in ten older adults in the U.S. experience financial exploitation annually, losing billions in retirement savings, prompting support for the bipartisan Senior Security Act of 2025. Experts advise seniors to never share information via unsolicited calls or texts, verify requests independently through official channels, and remain skeptical of requests that seem too good to be true or create urgency through fear.
capeargus.co.za
Cybercriminals deliberately target adults 65 and older through socio-economic crimes like romance fraud, fake investments, and phishing, exploiting age-based stereotypes and vulnerabilities such as memory issues, social isolation, and limited digital confidence. A research study by Dr. Suleman Lazarus and colleagues emphasizes that recognizing "ageism in cybercrime"—where older adults are purposefully targeted because they are perceived as easier to deceive—is essential to building effective defenses. Better awareness, clearer guidance, and stronger support systems are needed to protect older adults online, as the issue stems not from lack of money but from lack of confidence navigating digital financial systems.
nwestiowa.com
Romance scams involve criminals creating fake personas on dating sites and social media to build false relationships and extract money from victims through emotional manipulation and fabricated emergencies. The Federal Trade Commission estimates approximately 64,000 Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with seniors—particularly widowed and divorced individuals—being frequent targets. Red flags include refusal to meet in person or video call, rapid escalation of romantic declarations, requests to move to private messaging platforms, and endless excuses for financial assistance, with some victims also being coerced into becoming "money mules" for money laundering schemes.
channelnewsasia.com
"Revenge on Gold Diggers," a Chinese interactive video game released in June, became a commercial hit by simulating pig-butchering love scams where players protect themselves from women who manipulate men for money, selling over one million copies. The game sparked intense debate in China, with supporters praising its anti-fraud educational value amid rising scam concerns (40,000 telecom fraud cases in 2024), while critics condemned it for reinforcing misogynistic stereotypes and portraying women as inherent schemers rather than addressing systemic vulnerabilities in relationships. The developers changed the Chinese title to "Emotional Anti-Fraud Simulator" but maintained the English title remained "
itweb.africa
This article examines how artificial intelligence is transforming romantic relationships and creating new vulnerabilities to scams. According to Norton Cyber Safety Insights, 48% of people use dating apps, with one in four daters targeted by romance scams powered by AI-generated deepfakes, bots, and fake avatars designed for emotional manipulation. The article warns that while AI offers convenience in relationships and family connections, it risks eroding genuine human bonds and making it increasingly difficult for vulnerable users to distinguish between authentic and fraudulent interactions.
hollywoodreporter.com
A 73-year-old woman in the rural South lost approximately $100,000 in bitcoin to scammers impersonating actor Kevin Costner over several months, luring her with romantic messages and promises of a production company job before standing her up at a hotel meeting. The scam is part of a larger billion-dollar celebrity impersonation scheme that exploits lonely victims through AI-generated deepfakes, fake messaging accounts, and social media, prompting Hollywood to pursue legislation like the "No Fakes Act" to protect artists' likenesses and voices from unauthorized use.
okcfox.com
Deputy Tara Hardin from the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office discusses the rising threat of romance scams and emphasizes the need for increased vigilance as scammers employ increasingly sophisticated tactics. The segment provides prevention strategies to help people protect themselves from this growing type of fraud.
dexerto.com
Actor Keanu Reeves pays thousands of dollars monthly to an AI company to remove fake impersonator accounts and protect fans from romance scammers, as he is reportedly the most impersonated celebrity online due to his lack of social media presence. Romance scams using celebrity impersonations are rising in prevalence, with recent victims losing substantial sums—including a woman who lost $850,000 to a scammer posing as Brad Pitt—and the company handling Reeves' takedowns has issued nearly 40,000 account removal orders on his behalf in the past year.
unionrayo.com
Match Group is rolling out a facial recognition feature called Face Check on Tinder, currently being tested in California, which requires users to submit a video selfie to verify their identity and receive a blue checkmark indicating authenticity. The feature uses facial scanning technology to prevent catfishing and romance scams—which have caused millions in losses to dating app users—by comparing video footage to profile photos and detecting duplicate accounts; encrypted facial maps are retained while videos are deleted. Face Check has already been successfully tested in Canada and Colombia, reducing fraudulent accounts and improving user confidence in profile authenticity.
selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov
U.S. House lawmakers sent a bipartisan letter to Google CEO commending the company's efforts to combat scams linked to Chinese Communist Party entities that drain billions from Americans annually, particularly "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams and tech support schemes that target vulnerable seniors. The letter requests information on Google's technologies to block malicious ads, browser-based scams, and AI-driven detection capabilities, noting that these transnational criminal operations caused an estimated $10 billion in crypto fraud losses in 2024 alone.
nzherald.co.nz
As AI advances, traditional scam detection methods like spotting poor spelling and grammar are no longer reliable, according to cybersecurity experts. An Avast survey of 1,001 New Zealand adults found that while 74% worry about older loved ones falling victim to scams and 84% have warned them about online threats, only 53% of seniors actually change their behavior—with common vulnerabilities including writing passwords on paper (44%) and ignoring advice about suspicious links. The most prevalent scams targeting older adults are tech support scams, phishing, and fake invoices, with phone calls remaining a primary entry point for fraud.
kjzz.org
Cryptocurrency ATM scams are increasingly targeting older adults, with scammers using phone calls, social media, and text messages to direct victims to deposit cash into Bitcoin ATMs via fraudulent QR codes under the pretense of protecting funds or making investments. Scammers now operate as organized criminal networks rather than isolated actors, with reported losses ranging from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per victim—including cases of a woman losing $700,000 and another losing $200,000. A particularly sophisticated variation called "pig butchering" begins as romance scams on social media before morphing into cryptocurrency investment schemes designed to extract all available funds from victims.
bitdefender.com
Scammers have used AI-generated deepfake videos of Jennifer Aniston to perpetrate romance fraud for over a decade, with a recent case involving a 43-year-old man from Southampton who sent £200 in Apple gift cards after being manipulated through fake videos and a forged California driver's license. The scam exploited emotional manipulation and false exclusivity claims, using only publicly available photos and free AI tools to create convincing deepfake content. This represents an evolving threat where romance scammers combine classic social engineering with deepfake technology to impersonate celebrities and exploit victims' emotional connections to famous figures.
usatoday.com
Adults over 60 lost over $4.9 billion to scams in 2024, with impersonation, romance, tech support, and emerging "grandparent scams" using AI voice cloning being the most common threats. The article provides six protective practices: avoid unknown calls/texts, never share personal information with unsolicited callers, recognize urgency and emotional manipulation tactics, and refrain from sending money to unknown contacts via any payment method.
bankingjournal.aba.com
Over one-third of Americans have experienced financial fraud since January 2024, with baby boomers and Generation X most vulnerable, and phishing scams alone costing consumers $12.5 billion in 2024—a 25% increase from the prior year. Romance scams and relationship investment schemes are particularly prevalent, with fraudsters building trust through social media and dating platforms before exploiting victims. Banks are urged to implement multi-layered defenses including real-time transaction monitoring, staff training with clear communication, fraud playbooks, and directing victims to support resources like the BBB Scam Survival Toolkit and AARP's Fraud Support Group.
abc7chicago.com
Scammers impersonating celebrities, particularly using fake Elon Musk identities, are defrauding victims through cryptocurrency investment schemes that employ AI voice cloning and deepfake technology. Richard Lyons, a Vietnam veteran, lost $10,000 to a fraudster posing as Musk on social media, who used fake caller ID spoofing, AI-generated voice messages, and a fraudulent investment webpage showing fake profits to convince him to send crypto. The FBI reports that cryptocurrency scams resulted in $9 billion in losses in 2024, with $6 billion specifically lost to people tricked into sending funds to fraudsters, and advises potential victims to
macaudailytimes.com.mo
A 69-year-old woman was arrested for money laundering after receiving approximately MOP3 million in fraudulent funds through her personal bank account for a "pig butchering" romance scam operation. Two local victims lost MOP1.3 million and MOP700,000 respectively after being deceived by an online romantic partner into investing in a fraudulent scheme promising high returns. Police report eight total victims of this scam since July, with combined losses exceeding MOP3.56 million, and warn the public to verify investment opportunities and exercise caution in online relationships.
mirror.co.uk
A UK survey of 1,000 adults found that 60% have had to help elderly relatives stay safe online, with 41% believing their older loved ones could be duped by scammers. The study revealed that 26% of older Brits have encountered scams and 21% have been victims of financial fraud, with common unsafe practices including clicking dubious links (68%), answering unknown calls (60%), and using simple passwords (51%). Experts emphasize that digital safety education and family conversations about cyber threats are essential to protecting vulnerable seniors from evolving online scams.
staysafeonline.org
This educational article outlines five common cryptocurrency scams affecting Americans, who lose over $9 billion annually to crypto investment fraud. Key scam types include too-good-to-be-true investment promises, romance scams (often called "pig butchering"), phishing attacks, pump-and-dump schemes, and fake cryptocurrency apps, with red flags provided for each. The article advises avoiding high-pressure tactics, never sharing private wallet keys, being skeptical of online romantic interests who introduce crypto investments, and downloading apps only from official stores.
news9.com
This educational piece outlines common cybercrime threats targeting consumers, including romance scams on social media and fraudulent text messages about unpaid tolls, and emphasizes protective measures such as installing software updates, using strong authentication methods, and avoiding personal transactions on public Wi-Fi. According to recent data, U.S. consumers received 18.9 billion robocalls in 2025 and lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, with text message scams alone accounting for $470 million in losses.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
A restaurant manager in Mumbai's Borivli neighborhood was arrested for operating a dating scam in conspiracy with 21 conartists from Delhi and Ghaziabad. The scheme involved creating fake female profiles on dating apps to lure victims to the restaurant, where inflated bills (up to Rs 35,000) were presented and payments diverted to private UPI accounts, with the restaurant staff receiving a cut of proceeds. Police arrested 22 individuals total and recovered equipment worth Rs 3.7 lakh, though they suspect multiple victims across locations have not reported the fraud.
thezebra.org
A high school student named Wesley Driscoll, inspired by his personal experience with a phone scam, founded Silver Guard Seniors to help protect elderly citizens from fraud. The organization is hosting a free scam-prevention event on July 26 in Alexandria, Virginia, featuring former FBI agent John Schwartz and other experts who will educate seniors about recognizing common schemes like romance scams and refund fraud, while addressing the shame and secrecy that often surrounds elder financial abuse.
tradingview.com
The U.S. Secret Service has become a major cryptocurrency custodian after seizing nearly $400 million in digital assets from various crypto scams over the past decade, including romance scams and investment frauds that use psychological manipulation and fake websites to defraud victims. The agency employs blockchain forensics and international collaboration—training officers in over 60 countries—to trace and recover stolen funds, with notable successes including the recovery of $225 million in USDT from a romance-investment scam network. Despite these efforts, crypto crime continues to surge, with investors losing $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, primarily through wallet hacks and phishing attacks.
ainvest.com
The U.S. Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade, including a record $225 million from a money laundering network, with many funds traced to romance scams and fake investment schemes targeting victims through catfish tactics. Despite these enforcement successes, crypto-related crimes continue to surge, with Americans losing $9.3 billion to crypto scams in 2024 alone and wallet hacks, phishing attacks, and protocol exploits causing over $2.47 billion in losses in the first half of 2025, indicating that criminal tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
ainvest.com
**Summary:**
Two UK men, Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga, were sentenced to a combined 12 years in prison for operating a cryptocurrency fraud scheme between 2017 and 2019 that defrauded victims of over $2 million. The pair posed as financial advisers, cold-called inexperienced investors, and directed them to fake cryptocurrency websites through companies CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP, causing severe financial and emotional harm to victims, some of whom lost their life savings. The case highlights the challenges in enforcing crypto regulations, as the prosecution took years to complete due to FCA case backlogs.
livebitcoinnews.com
The U.S. Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade, with much of it linked to romance scams and fake investment platforms that target victims through catfishing and promise of quick returns. Despite these enforcement successes, crypto scams are accelerating, with Americans losing $9.3 billion to such schemes in 2024 alone, representing over half of all internet fraud losses that year. The Secret Service's June 2025 seizure of $225 million in USDT marked its largest cryptocurrency confiscation to date.
amac.us
Older Americans are increasingly targeted by fraud schemes, with seniors losing over $3.4 billion in 2023—an average of $33,915 per victim—according to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report. Many of these scams, including impersonation schemes and "pig butchering" cryptocurrency frauds, are allegedly coordinated or tolerated by the Chinese Communist Party, with recent indictments in Ohio and California involving Chinese nationals charged with defrauding elderly victims out of thousands to millions of dollars. Experts emphasize that only 10-15 percent of senior fraud victims report their losses, suggesting the actual problem is far larger than reported figures indicate
fortune.com
A 35-year-old Nigerian man, Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, pleaded guilty to operating a romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between 2019 and 2024. Using fake identities such as "Williams Moore," "Manuel Sykes," and "Edward Nowak," Nwadavid posed as an oil rig worker and other professionals to build romantic relationships with vulnerable women online, then solicited money under false pretenses including medical emergencies and inheritance claims. The case highlights the growing threat of romance scams targeting women over 60, which
yahoo.com
Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old married Nigerian real estate worker, pleaded guilty to running a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between January and June 2019. Using fake identities, he posed as men working on oil rigs or in overseas positions, love-bombing vulnerable victims and convincing them to send money for medical emergencies or travel expenses, with one victim losing over $896,000. The case reflects a broader epidemic of romance scams targeting older adults, with the FBI reporting nearly 18,000 complaints in 2024
ainvest.com
Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old, admitted to orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded at least six women across multiple states of millions of dollars by posing as different men (including "Williams Moore" and "Manuel Sykes") claiming to need financial help due to oil rig injuries. Victims from Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas were manipulated into opening cryptocurrency accounts and transferring funds totaling millions, with individual losses ranging from $235,000 to $896,000, which Nwadavid then laundered through his own Bitcoin wallets. The case reflects a broader trend of romance fraud, with the
ainvest.com
The U.S. Department of Justice seized $225.3 million in cryptocurrency linked to a romance scam syndicate that defrauded over 430 victims, marking the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. The scam involved criminals convincing victims to invest in fraudulent crypto platforms and then laundering the funds through the OKX exchange, with operations coordinated from the Philippines. This enforcement action highlights the growing trend of crypto-based romance and investment scams and is expected to prompt tighter regulatory compliance measures and anti-money laundering standards at centralized cryptocurrency exchanges globally.
cointelegraph.com
The US Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency over the past decade through investigations into digital asset scams, with analysts using blockchain analysis and VPN tracking to identify fraudsters operating romance-investment schemes and sextortion plots. In 2024, Americans reported $9.3 billion stolen in crypto fraud—more than half of all internet crime losses—with the agency training officials in over 60 countries to combat these crimes, which often involve scammers posing as attractive individuals to lure victims into fake investment platforms that disappear with deposits.
ainvest.com
The US Secret Service has seized nearly $400 million in digital assets over the past decade by tracking cryptocurrency fraud schemes, with crypto scams now representing the top driver of US internet crime losses at $9.3 billion stolen in 2024. Common schemes include fake investment platforms that show initial profits before disappearing with deposits, romance-investment scams, and sextortion cases, with the agency using blockchain analysis and open-source tools to identify perpetrators across multiple jurisdictions. The Secret Service has trained law enforcement in over 60 countries and coordinated with crypto exchanges like Tether to freeze wallets and recover stolen assets, including a notable $225 million recovery linked to romance scams.
english.radio.cz
Czech police reported a 5% decline in cybercrime cases in 2024, with 18,500 incidents investigated—the first decrease since the pandemic began. Online fraud remained the most prevalent cybercrime type, encompassing fake bank alerts, investment scams, and romance fraud, though authorities attributed the overall decline partly to increased awareness campaigns by police, banks, and state institutions.
onesafe.io
In 2024, Americans lost $9.3 billion to crypto-related scams, prompting the US Secret Service to seize nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency through their Global Investigative Operations Center using blockchain analysis techniques. The article highlights the rising threat of crypto fraud—including romance scams and fake investment platforms—and recommends that companies implement advanced fraud detection, strengthened identity verification, and real-time transaction monitoring to protect digital assets. The Secret Service has also trained officials from over 60 countries on combating online financial crimes as part of a broader international effort to combat crypto fraud.
golocalprov.com
A Boston truck repair company, Middlesex Truck and Coach, discovered that Chase Bank had fraudulently opened an account under its name without identification verification, which was then used by foreign scammers to collect proceeds from victims of "pig-butchering" schemes—elaborate investment scams that defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The account was part of a sophisticated international money laundering operation linked to Asian crime syndicates that funnel stolen U.S. funds through fake bank accounts and cryptocurrency, with pig-butchering scams alone generating an estimated $44 billion annually across Southeast Asia and affecting millions of victims worldwide.
ainvest.com
Michael Zidell filed lawsuits against East West Bank and Cathay Bank in California federal court, alleging the institutions failed to prevent fraudulent wire transfers totaling approximately $16.7 million that he sent to scammers' accounts after being deceived by a romance scam involving a fake NFT investment scheme. Zidell, who met a woman claiming to be "Carolyn Parker" on Facebook in early 2023, was instructed to make multiple transfers across the banks before the fraudulent trading platform disappeared in April 2023, and he seeks compensatory damages for the banks' alleged failure to monitor suspicious transaction patterns.
dallasexpress.com
Darlington Akporugo, 47, and his wife Jasmin Sood, 37, were sentenced to 188 and 121 months in federal prison, respectively, for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans—primarily widows—of more than $3 million. Akporugo posed as a romantic interest online using fake identities to convince victims to send money and purchase luxury items, including a vehicle and mansion that the couple used themselves; authorities identified over 25 victims across multiple states. Both defendants were ordered to repay the full stolen amount and serve three years of supervised release upon their release from prison.
abc27.com
The FBI issued an alert about Scattered Spider, a cybercriminal group targeting the airline industry through social engineering attacks that exploit human trust rather than technical vulnerabilities. Elderly individuals are identified as particularly vulnerable to these scams, which include phishing emails, impersonation of trusted figures, and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated deepfakes; experts recommend verifying requests through official channels, limiting personal information shared online, and establishing identity verification protocols with family members.
ainvest.com
The U.S. Secret Service is coordinating with law enforcement across 60+ countries to combat cryptocurrency scams, which have become the leading cause of online fraud losses in America. In 2024, older adults lost $2.8 billion to crypto scams involving fake investment websites that use attractive photos and show small profits to build trust before disappearing with victims' money. Over the past decade, the GIOC has successfully seized nearly $400 million in digital assets through tracing domain names, crypto wallets, and IP addresses, with training programs helping other nations strengthen their enforcement efforts.
ainvest.com
Michael Zidell lost $20 million in a "pig butchering" romance scam that began in January 2023 when a fraudster posing as a businesswoman named Carolyn Parker on Facebook convinced him to invest in a fake NFT website over months of WeChat communications. Zidell has filed lawsuits against East West Bank, Cathay Bank, and Citibank, alleging the financial institutions failed to detect and prevent suspicious transactions totaling $7 million, $9.7 million, and $4 million respectively, despite the transfers being unusually large and violating anti-money laundering compliance requirements. The lawsuits seek compensatory damages and suggest potential
vocal.media
This educational guide advises overseas daters on avoiding romance scams in 2025 by emphasizing the importance of using reputable dating platforms with strong security features, verifying profiles through video calls and reverse image searches, understanding cultural differences, and recognizing red flags such as requests for money, avoidance of video calls, and inconsistent personal details. The article notes that scammers increasingly exploit international daters through sophisticated AI-generated profiles, deepfakes, catfishing, and emotional manipulation, taking advantage of language barriers and physical distance.
tradingview.com
A malicious GitHub project called "solana-pumpfun-bot" deceived users into downloading what appeared to be a legitimate Solana trading bot, but actually contained hidden malicious code that scanned victims' systems and stole their private cryptocurrency keys. The attacker used fake GitHub accounts to artificially boost the project's credibility through stars and forks, making it appear trustworthy despite being uploaded only three weeks prior. Security researchers advise users to avoid running cryptocurrency tools that access wallets on their main systems and to test such projects only in isolated, sandboxed environments.
ainvest.com
The U.S. Secret Service has seized $225 million in cryptocurrency in a recent operation targeting romance and investment scams, bringing the total recovered over the past decade to $400 million. Scammers typically lure victims through fake cryptocurrency investment websites that show false profits to build trust before disappearing with deposited funds, sometimes targeting vulnerable individuals like teenagers for sextortion schemes. The Secret Service's Global Investigative Operations Center works with over 60 countries to trace fraudulent assets and dismantle international scam networks, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement in combating digital fraud.
ainvest.com
The U.S. Department of Justice, with assistance from Tether, recovered $40,300 in cryptocurrency from a scam impersonating the Trump inauguration committee, in which victims were deceived by spoofed email addresses with subtle character differences into sending crypto donations they believed were legitimate political contributions. The scammers used phishing messages sent on December 24, 2024, to trick victims into depositing funds into fraudulent wallets, which were then laundered through multiple addresses within hours. Law enforcement officials warn that such impersonation scams cost Americans billions annually and recommend victims verify email addresses, URLs, and official channels before sending any cryptocurrency or assets.
thegeorgiavirtue.com
Pradip Parikh, 67, and Alpesh Patel, 40, were convicted of operating an India-based call center scam that defrauded elderly Americans out of millions of dollars by impersonating Social Security Administration officials and convincing victims their Social Security numbers had been compromised. Victims, including a 70-year-old who lost $600,000 and a widowed mother of eight who lost over $300,000, were directed to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled by the defendants, who then laundered the money. Parikh was convicted of money laundering conspiracy and two substantive money laundering counts, while Patel was convicted on all charges
deccanherald.com
Nehal Modi, the younger brother of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, was arrested by US authorities immediately upon his release from a US prison on Friday after completing a nearly three-year sentence for a cheating case involving the fraudulent acquisition of $2.6 million in diamonds from a Manhattan company. In India, Nehal Modi is wanted by the CBI in connection with the Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud orchestrated by his brother Nirav Modi, and is accused of destroying evidence and laundering proceeds of crime through shell companies and offshore transactions. The CBI will pursue his extradition during a July 17 court hearing in the US.
livebitcoinnews.com
Michael Zidell lost $20 million in a pig butchering scam that began in January 2023 when a scammer impersonating businesswoman "Carolyn Parker" contacted him on Facebook and convinced him to invest in a fake NFT website over several months. Zidell has sued East West Bank, Cathay Bank, and Citibank for negligence, alleging the banks failed to detect or flag suspicious wire transfers totaling $20 million across multiple accounts and violated anti-money laundering regulations, with the lawsuits also alleging elder abuse under California law.
cointelegraph.com
Michael Zidell filed lawsuits against East West Bank and Cathay Bank, claiming they failed to detect and prevent a crypto romance scam that defrauded him of approximately $16.7 million across 31 transfers to accounts at these institutions. Zidell was targeted by a Facebook romance scammer posing as "Carolyn Parker" who convinced him to invest in a fraudulent NFT trading platform that disappeared in April 2023; he is also suing Citibank for $4 million in similar transfers. The lawsuits allege the banks were negligent in monitoring suspicious transactions, aided and abetted securities fraud, and aided elder abuse by failing to
ainvest.com
Michael Zidell lost approximately $20 million in a romance scam (classified as "pig butchering") in which a scammer posing as a woman named Carolyn Parker built trust with him on Facebook and WeChat before directing him to invest in a fake NFT platform called OpenrarityPro.com. Zidell has filed lawsuits against Citibank, East West Bank, and Cathay Bank, alleging the institutions negligently failed to detect red flags such as account discrepancies, suspicious wire transfer volumes, and transfers that exceeded stated transaction limits, thereby materially aiding the scheme. The case seeks to establish bank accountability for facilitating investment fraud and highlights