A 71-year-old woman from Florida has been charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and romance fraud in a case that highlights the growing threat of elder financial exploitation.
Margarett Chevry, of Tampa, Florida, was charged in the Middle District of Florida with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and romance fraud. The charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
According to the indictment, Chevry allegedly defrauded victims of over $727,000 through a romance scam.
The indictment alleges that Chevry used the internet to pose as a romantic partner and manipulate victims into sending her money. The victims, who were all over 60 years old, were told that they had to send money to Chevry in order to receive a large sum of money from a government agency or a wealthy individual.
Chevry is not in custody and a warrant has been issued for her arrest. The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Peresie, Rachelle DesVaux Bedke, and Rachel Jones.
The case is a stark reminder of the growing threat of elder financial exploitation. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans over the age of 60 lost over $3 billion to fraud in 2021.
The Justice Department has been working to combat elder financial exploitation through its Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force. The Strike Force is a nationwide law enforcement effort that targets foreign-based scams that target American seniors.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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