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in Financial Crime
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
Kari Morales, a 51-year-old from Milford, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for acting as a money mule in an IRS impersonation scam targeting a Kent County woman for $60,000. Morales was recruited online by a co-conspirator known as "Tom" to collect the fraudulently obtained cash in Grand Rapids while posing as a federal agent with fake FBI and IRS documents, unaware the victim's phone number had been reassigned to an undercover federal agent. Morales was promised $2,500 for her role in the scheme and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court.
wmur.com
· 2025-12-08
Merrimack County residents were targeted by AI-powered phone scams in which fraudsters spoofed caller IDs to impersonate law enforcement and family members. Scammers used artificial intelligence to manipulate voices and falsely claim warrants requiring payment or pose as relatives needing emergency money wired via Bitcoin ATMs, with at least one victim losing $5,000. Sheriff David Croft advised residents to verify callers independently and noted that legitimate law enforcement never requests money to resolve warrants.
digitaljournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple victims in Westchester, New York lost substantial funds in investment scams, including cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes and stock market manipulation frauds that promised high returns. Natisa Securities LLC, a recovery firm based in Westchester, assists defrauded investors by employing financial advisors, legal experts, and investigators to recover lost funds and navigate complex fraud cases through legal procedures and international networks.
digit.in
· 2025-12-08
A woman in northeast Delhi lost Rs 2 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam in which three fraudsters posed as CBI officials, falsely claimed her husband had been arrested on rape charges, and kept her on the phone for six hours to extort the payment. The three scammers from Bihar were arrested following police raids based on technical surveillance. A "digital arrest" scam involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement to threaten victims into transferring money by claiming legal action or public exposure, and victims can protect themselves by verifying caller authenticity through official channels and avoiding unsolicited payment requests.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
Montgomery County, Maryland law enforcement officials warned of an organized crime scam targeting seniors in which approximately 20 victims lost millions of dollars since July 2023, with at least five suspects arrested. The scheme typically begins with fraudulent computer alerts, pop-up ads, or calls impersonating federal agents or tech support, convincing victims their accounts are compromised and pressuring them to convert savings to gold bars for "safekeeping." Notable cases include a 74-year-old man defrauded of over $1 million and an 82-year-old woman victimized by a 19-year-old suspect, with authorities believing significantly more unreported victims exist.
nbcnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens across the country are taking educational classes to learn about artificial intelligence and its potential benefits and risks. While AI offers seniors advantages like reducing loneliness and improving access to medical care, research shows older adults are particularly vulnerable to AI-enabled scams, deepfakes, and misinformation. Instructors emphasize teaching balanced skepticism—encouraging seniors to use AI tools while remaining cautious about false or manipulated content—rather than avoiding the technology altogether.
beverlyreview.net
· 2025-12-08
The Cook County Sheriff's Department is launching an educational program to help seniors recognize and avoid "sweetheart scams," which involve scammers building fake romantic relationships to extract money or personal financial information. In 2023, over 101,000 Americans aged 60+ reported losses totaling $3.4 billion to financial fraud, with Illinois accounting for 2,887 victims and nearly $138 million in losses. Sheriff Thomas Dart advises victims to pause and verify suspicious requests with trusted contacts or law enforcement rather than providing immediate responses or financial access to unknown callers.
wvua23.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics including AI voice mimicry to impersonate family members and request bail money, fake law enforcement calls claiming missed jury duty or warrants, and phishing texts posing as banks with frozen accounts. The article advises consumers to verify suspicious calls independently by hanging up and calling back directly, avoid clicking links in unsolicited texts, and be skeptical of unexpected prize notifications and car warranty offers.
mymcmedia.org
· 2025-12-08
Law enforcement officials in Montgomery County arrested five scammers involved in fraud schemes that defrauded four victims of an estimated $2.9 million, with three additional cases pending that could bring total losses to $6.3 million. The scammers impersonated government officials to convince victims—mostly elderly individuals aged 61-94—to convert savings into gold bars or hand over cash directly, with one victim losing $2.3 million. Officials advise the public to avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, never click pop-up ads, hang up immediately if callers demand money, and contact trusted individuals or police for verification before sending any funds.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers impersonate utility companies with urgent calls claiming unpaid bills and demanding immediate payment via barcodes, QR codes, gift cards, or wire transfers—payment methods legitimate utility companies never require. To protect yourself, contact your utility company directly using the number on your bill or their official website, never the caller's number, and report suspected scams to the FTC and your utility company immediately.
moco360.media
· 2025-12-08
Montgomery County law enforcement warned residents about gold bar scams linked to international organized crime groups operating from China and India that have defrauded approximately 20 local victims of millions of dollars since July 2023. Notable cases include a 23-year-old charged with stealing over $700,000 from a mentally disabled Leisure World resident and a 19-year-old charged with swindling an 82-year-old woman of more than $900,000; police have identified seven cases totaling $6.3 million in losses. Officials advised residents to avoid clicking pop-up ads, answering unknown numbers, and liquidating assets into cash or gold for couriers, noting that while
newjersey.news12.com
· 2025-12-08
An older woman from Alexandria Township, New Jersey lost $13,000 in a tech support and bank impersonation scam where a fake Microsoft/TD Bank representative convinced her to withdraw cash to "protect" her account, with an accomplice posing as a courier collecting the money from her home. State police are seeking an Asian male suspect, approximately 5'9" and 30-35 years old, described as having black hair and a mustache.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Ari Tietolman, a Canadian resident, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for operating a telemarketing fraud scheme from 2005 to 2014 that targeted tens of thousands of American senior citizens, defrauding them of millions of dollars by selling worthless or non-existent services such as fraud protection, prescription drug discounts, and legal services. Tietolman and his network of telemarketers, operating from "boiler rooms" in Canada and India, made false claims about their affiliations with banks and government agencies, misrepresented product costs, and debited victims' bank accounts without informed consent. He was ordered to pay $7
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Kari Melissa Morales, 51, of Milford, Michigan, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after attempting to scam a Grand Rapids resident out of $60,000 using fake FBI arrest warrant and IRS receipt documents. Morales and a co-conspirator were conducting a text message-based fraud scheme, but law enforcement had reassigned the victim's phone number to an undercover federal agent, resulting in no actual financial loss and leading to Morales's arrest. Morales faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for her role in the scam, which was intended to exploit the victim into sending money by falsely claiming legal authority.
nbcwashington.com
· 2025-12-08
Gold bar scams targeting seniors in the D.C. area have resulted in millions of dollars in losses, with scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and convincing victims to convert cash into gold bars for purported "safekeeping." Montgomery County alone has identified approximately 20 victims aged 61-94, with individual losses reaching $2.3 million, and the FBI has received over 250 complaints nationwide; authorities have charged four men and linked the schemes to criminal organizations in India and China. Experts advise avoiding suspicious pop-ups and calls from unknown numbers, and warn that once funds are handed over, recovery is virtually impossible as money is quickly laundered and sent overseas.
nextgov.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Veterans Affairs launched VSAFE.gov, a new website and call center platform designed to help veterans and their families identify, avoid, and report scams targeting benefits, identity theft, and education fraud. The initiative was spurred by a surge in predatory schemes targeting veterans following the 2022 PACT Act expansion of benefits and healthcare services, with lawmakers pressing the VA to strengthen its anti-fraud protections. The platform consolidates resources from multiple federal agencies including the FTC, FCC, and Social Security Administration to provide veterans with fraud prevention tools and reporting assistance.
wbckfm.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Secret Service has warned Michigan residents about "smishing"—text message phishing scams—targeting online shoppers with three main tactics: fake package tracking notifications, undelivered package alerts, and fraudulent purchase warnings, all designed to trick victims into clicking malicious links and surrendering sensitive financial information. The Secret Service recommends avoiding unsolicited messages entirely, never clicking links from unknown sources, independently verifying requests for personal information, and deleting suspicious texts rather than responding to them.
jdsupra.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial institutions reported over $27 billion in elder exploitation losses between June 2022 and June 2023, with scams being the predominant form of abuse targeting individuals aged 60 and older. The FBI's 2023 report documented significant increases in elder scams, resulting in over $3.4 billion in losses to victims. Experts recommend reviewing FinCEN and CFPB guidelines to help combat financial exploitation of seniors.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, over 101,000 people age 60 and older lost nearly $3.4 billion to financial exploitation, according to the FBI's Elder Fraud Report, with common scams including tech support fraud ($590 million in losses), investment fraud ($4.57 billion, up 38% year-over-year), power of attorney abuse, Medicare/Medicaid fraud, and homeowner scams. AI-driven fraud is making scams increasingly sophisticated, with criminals creating convincing fake audio and video to deceive victims. Protection requires vigilance about warning signs such as unusual account activity and suspicious communications, along with education and open family dialogue about financial security.
jamaicaobserver.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams, business imposter scams, and internet/email fraud are common schemes targeting older adults. Romance scammers exploit loneliness through fake online profiles to extract money for purported travel or emergencies, while business imposters use caller ID spoofing to pose as legitimate companies or charities to steal personal information and funds. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to internet scams, phishing emails, and fake anti-virus pop-ups due to lower technology adoption rates and unfamiliarity with online security features.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Ernakulam Rural police in Kochi launched a crackdown on individuals selling their bank accounts to cybercriminals, who receive payments of approximately Rs 15,000 or commission-based earnings for facilitating fraud schemes. In one case, a man with eight accounts was arrested after his account was used to defraud a woman of Rs 17 lakh, with police noting that fraudsters connect with youths through SIM card dealers and quickly move stolen funds into cryptocurrencies or untraceable assets. Police stated they would prosecute account sellers as conspirators and are investigating potential involvement of bank officials in receiving large fraudulent deposits.
1news.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old UK national pleaded guilty to 27 charges, including obtaining by deception, after posing as a police officer and cold-calling victims aged 56-90 to convince them to withdraw cash for fake investigations, defrauding multiple Auckland residents of $337,700 total. A second UK national was arrested in a similar scam operation, with police warning the public that legitimate police will never contact citizens requesting cash withdrawals or making unusual demands over the phone.
vpd.ca
· 2025-12-08
Vancouver Police warned the Chinese community about three scams that defrauded victims of nearly $6 million since January of that year, with 26 reported cases under investigation. The scams included impersonation of Chinese police officers demanding payment to Hong Kong banks, "blessing scams" targeting elderly victims through spiritual manipulation to extract cash and jewelry, and fake job postings in traditional Chinese that escalate into romance or investment schemes. Police urged community members to alert vulnerable family and friends and report suspected fraud to the VPD non-emergency line.
ca.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Nearly 1,500 Americans ages 60 and older reported losing $65 million to real estate scams last year, with overall elder fraud losses exceeding $1.6 billion across all scam types—a problem exacerbated by an aging population and AI-enhanced scammer tactics. Elder real estate fraud and financial exploitation often involve document forgery, coercion, or misuse of power of attorney, frequently perpetrated by trusted relatives or advisors, leaving victims losing life savings, retirement funds, and homes. Industry and advocacy groups are calling for coordinated state and federal government action, combined with private sector collaboration, to implement legislative, educational, and enforcement measures to combat this rising threat.
ecns.cn
· 2025-12-08
Over 2,000 people were prosecuted for investment scams targeting elderly citizens, with 1,932 prosecuted last year and 343 in the first half of the current year. Perpetrators used elderly care services, tourism, and financial products as fronts, luring seniors into high-risk investments (blockchain, equity investments, Belt and Road Initiative projects) by promising high returns while pressuring them to use personal property as collateral—often resulting in loss of homes and significant debt when investments failed. A notable case involved a criminal who defrauded over 2,100 elderly investors of more than 93 million yuan ($19 million) through false promises of elderly care services an
chinadaily.com.cn
· 2025-12-08
Over 2,000 individuals were prosecuted for illegal fundraising scams targeting elderly people, with 1,932 prosecuted last year and 343 in the first half of the current year. Perpetrators lure seniors into fraudulent investments using schemes tied to blockchain, equity funds, and national initiatives, often requiring them to pledge personal property as collateral for promised high returns that never materialize. A notable case involved a criminal who collected over 136 million yuan ($19 million) from more than 2,100 elderly investors through fake elderly care projects, misappropriating 93 million yuan and resulting in his 15-year prison sentence.
midhudsonnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Dutchess County officials launched the "Don't Get Burned By Fraud" initiative to educate residents about scams targeting seniors and immigrants, particularly the grandparent scam where callers impersonate friends of grandchildren and claim an emergency requiring immediate wire transfers. County Comptroller Gregg Pulver, District Attorney Anthony Parisi, and Sheriff Kirk Imperati partnered to develop community forums and educational materials, noting that victims typically cannot recover lost money and that the DA's office will establish a Consumer Fraud Unit to investigate and prosecute fraud cases.
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder real estate fraud is rising with 1,500 Americans ages 60+ reporting $65 million in losses last year, while seniors overall lost over $1.6 billion to all scams. The fraud takes multiple forms—including deed theft, forged signatures, and exploitation of Power of Attorney—often perpetrated by trusted relatives or advisors, leaving victims to lose their homes and life savings. To combat this trend, state and federal governments must implement stronger legislation, consumer education, and enforcement mechanisms in collaboration with industry groups and Adult Protective Services.
grundycountyherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder scams exploited advancing technology in 2023, with banks reporting over $27 billion in suspicious activity and FBI reports indicating average losses exceeding $33,000 per case. Common scams targeting seniors employ two main tactics: creating urgency (tech support, government imposter, grandparent scams) or offering too-good-to-be-true opportunities (investment, romance, lottery scams). Experts recommend pausing when rushed, verifying identities through alternative contact channels, and consulting trusted contacts before making financial or romantic commitments to prevent fraud.
wvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program educates Medicare beneficiaries on preventing health care fraud, with particular focus on medical identity theft schemes involving unauthorized use of names and Medicare numbers to bill for services or supplies. In 2023, the SMP program reached 1.2 million people through outreach events, assisted over 270,000 beneficiaries with fraud complaints, identified 26 emerging fraud schemes, and helped Medicare recoup over $111 million in fraudulent billings.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
An 88-year-old man in Dalton lost $10,000 in a "grandparents scam" where a caller posed as a lawyer claiming his grandson needed bail money, with a courier arriving at his home to collect cash; the scammer later demanded an additional $12,000, but the family alerted police who arrested the courier on attempted larceny charges. The Berkshire District Attorney's Office is educating residents on scam prevention, advising them to never give banking information or send money to unknown callers, to verify calls by requesting callback numbers and contacting family or police, and noting that official agencies never request money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency over the phone.
theindependent.sg
· 2025-12-08
A Singapore-based commodity firm lost $42.3 million in a July 2024 Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam when fraudsters sent a spoofed email redirecting payment to a fake account in Timor-Leste. INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism recovered $39 million within one day and led to the recovery of an additional $2 million following the arrest of seven suspects, marking the largest-ever BEC fund recovery. The article also highlights related cybercrime enforcement actions, including the indictment of Cryptonator's founder for processing $1.4 billion in criminal proceeds through cryptocurrency
independent.com
· 2025-12-08
Kristina Perkins, Santa Barbara County's first female chief investigator, has taken over the Scam Squad podcast to combat rising internet fraud affecting the region's large elderly population. The podcast highlights common scams including pop-up fraud (which defrauded one victim of $200,000) and romance fraud, where scammers build fake relationships with older adults on social media before requesting money under false pretenses. Perkins emphasizes that anyone can be victimized and encourages reporting through the DA's scam hotline at (805) 568-2442.
commercialappeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers create fake passport renewal websites that mimic official government sites to trick consumers into paying fees for free services or stealing personal information. The Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission warn consumers to verify they're using the official government website (Travel.State.Gov ending in .gov), avoid paying fees for passport forms or appointments, and be suspicious of requests for wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. One senior citizen lost $89 after unknowingly submitting personal information to a fraudulent site that provided no actual service.
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
Zelle, the payment app owned by major U.S. banks including JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, faces a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau investigation over fraud vulnerabilities, with Zelle's chief fraud risk manager arguing the app has adequate safeguards while placing responsibility on users, lawmakers, and law enforcement to combat scammers. Between 2019 and 2023, the percentage of reimbursed Zelle fraud claims declined from 62% to 38%, according to Senator Richard Blumenthal, though Zelle reports a 50% decrease in fraud reports from 2022 to 2023 and attributes this partly to its anti
npr.org
· 2025-12-08
Criminal syndicates operating in Southeast Asia (particularly Cambodia and Myanmar) traffic and enslave people to conduct "pig butchering" scams—a fraud scheme where scammers build trust with victims to convince them to invest money before disappearing with their funds. Victims like Billy, a 41-year-old Ethiopian man, are deceived into traveling for fake jobs, then held captive in compounds, beaten, and forced to send scam texts impersonating wealthy individuals to defraud hundreds of people. This multi-billion-dollar cyber fraud industry involves systematic human trafficking, torture, and labor exploitation by organized criminal networks targeting both the scam victims and the enslaved workers forced to perpet
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Hector Claveria, 51, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty to international money laundering after acting as a money mule for elder fraud and computer fraud schemes in 2020. He collected cash proceeds from these schemes and wired $20,000 to a foreign bank account in June 2020, knowing the funds originated from fraudulent activities that deceived elderly victims into sending payments based on false claims of debt to government agencies or computer service companies. Claveria faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for December 19, 2024.
zimlive.com
· 2025-12-08
Sherlyn Sims was convicted of conspiring to launder and laundering over $1.2 million in proceeds from romance fraud scams and business email compromise schemes that targeted vulnerable elderly victims between December 2019 and August 2020. Sims registered sham businesses, opened bank accounts in their names, and quickly transferred the stolen funds internationally, to China, and through cash withdrawals, while evading detection by opening new accounts when banks closed existing ones. One romance fraud victim lost nearly $100,000 after being deceived online, and another lost their home earnest money deposit to Sims's accounts.
bulawayo24.com
· 2025-12-08
Sherlyn Sims, a Zimbabwean national operating in Georgia, was convicted of money laundering from multiple scams including romance fraud schemes where she solicited victims to send money under false pretenses (such as claiming to need tax payments to visit the US), then transferred the funds to third-party countries like China to cash out. Prosecutors documented that Sims diverted approximately $1.2 million through various bank accounts from her scams, including fraudulently obtained COVID relief loans, with one victim losing $100,000. She is scheduled for sentencing in November 2024.
chicagotribune.com
· 2025-12-08
**Event Type:** Scam Awareness Educational Initiative
The Palos Park Police Department held a National Night Out event to educate residents about elder fraud, highlighting that seniors in their predominantly elderly, affluent community are particularly vulnerable targets. Key scams discussed included door-to-door service schemes and "grandparent scams," with the FBI reporting that elder fraud caused $3.4 billion in losses in 2023 (up 11% from 2022), averaging $33,915 per victim, though many cases go unreported due to victim embarrassment and fear. Police advised residents to verify caller identities, trust their instincts when something feels off, and be
lawfaremedia.org
· 2025-12-08
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun Rao discusses the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch work, which addresses the growing scale and sophistication of consumer fraud schemes, including elder fraud, that have been enabled by technological advances such as robocalls, texts, emails, and social media. The Consumer Protection Branch brings together criminal and civil cases across federal courts nationwide with nearly 250 staff members and over 100 trial attorneys, partnering with agencies like the FTC, FDA, and CPSC to protect consumer health, safety, economic security, and privacy.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Terrance Pruitt, 47, of Bessemer, Alabama, was charged with wire fraud for executing a Power of Attorney over an elderly family member without their knowledge or consent in late 2023. Pruitt allegedly became a joint account holder on the victim's bank accounts by manipulating payable-on-death beneficiaries and transferred over $500,000 from the victim's accounts to his own personal accounts. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
stripes.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Oklahoma men—Christopher Parks, his son Christopher Noah Parks, and nephew Stephen Miller—who operated Assured Collections (later renamed Assured Financial) defrauded military personnel, veterans, and seniors by sending thousands of fraudulent debt collection letters demanding payments for medical debts that often did not exist, with demands sometimes reaching thousands of dollars per victim. The elder Parks, while serving time for a health care kickback scheme, directed the scam from prison using misappropriated medical billing data. A federal court in Tulsa issued a permanent injunction permanently banning all three men and their company from further billing operations.
wkok.com
· 2025-12-08
A 49-year-old home health aide in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania was charged with stealing over $1,600 from an elderly woman she was caring for Monday through Friday. Helen Reaser was identified through ATM surveillance footage showing her withdrawing cash from the victim's account without authorization and faces 12 misdemeanor counts including access device fraud, theft, and financial exploitation of an older adult.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
TRICARE beneficiaries in the Augusta area are being targeted by phishing scams via text messages claiming to come from Wisconsin Physicians Service (the TRICARE For Life contractor) and threatening coverage expiration due to nonpayment. TRICARE reminded beneficiaries that the agency never contacts them by phone or text requesting payment or personal information, and advised them to report suspicious messages to their TRICARE contractor or the Defense Health Agency's Office of the Inspector General.
spotonalabama.com
· 2025-12-08
A 47-year-old Bessemer man, Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud for allegedly stealing over $500,000 from elderly victims. The indictment targets his fraudulent scheme that exploited elder individuals through wire fraud methods.
jocoreport.com
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Johnston County resident lost $1,000 in gift cards after being contacted on social media by someone impersonating "General Douglas" with the United Nations Peace Corps who claimed to be interested in a romantic relationship. The scammer is part of a broader pattern of fraud schemes that falsely claim UN affiliation to obtain money or personal information through romance, employment, and confidence scams via multiple channels including social media, email, and phone calls.
thehackernews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Singapore-based commodity firm lost $42.3 million in a business email compromise (BEC) scam in July 2024 when fraudsters impersonated a supplier and redirected a payment to a fake bank account in Timor-Leste; using INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism, authorities recovered $39 million and froze the fraudulent account within one day, with seven suspects arrested and an additional $2 million recovered. The article also covers law enforcement's seizure of the Cryptonator cryptocurrency exchange, which facilitated over 4 million transactions worth $1.4 billion and allegedly enabled money laun
wsbtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Sherlyn Sims, a Zimbabwe national, was found guilty of laundering over $1.2 million obtained through romance fraud and business email compromise schemes, using fake Georgia-registered businesses to collect victim funds before transferring money internationally and to personal accounts. Multiple elderly victims were defrauded through fake online romantic relationships, with one victim sending nearly $100,000 after being deceived, and another losing money intended for a home purchase. Sims faces sentencing in November, while her co-conspirators received prison sentences ranging from five years to later sentencing dates.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Sherlyn Sims was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy related to romance scams and business email compromise schemes that defrauded dozens of victims of over $1.2 million between December 2019 and August 2020. Sims registered sham businesses, including Grace Trading LLC, to open bank accounts where she deposited stolen funds, then quickly transferred the money to foreign countries, withdrew cash, or spent it; victims included elderly individuals and others who lost significant sums, with one romance fraud victim depleting her life savings of nearly $100,000 after being tricked by an online scammer posing as her boyfriend. Sims was sentenced to be determined at a November 2024