Posted on 01/25/2023 6:47:48 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando woman was arrested Wednesday, accused of a romance scam that drained an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor of his life savings, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
Prosecutors and the FBI say Peaches Stergo, 36, of Championsgate met the victim on a dating website six or seven years ago, and in 2017 asked to borrow money to pay a lawyer who was refusing to release funds from an injury settlement.
According to the federal indictment, over the next few years, Stergo repeatedly demanded the victim deposit money into her bank accounts, saying if he didn’t they would be frozen and he would never get his money back. Prosecutors say Stergo also created a fake email address, claiming to belong to a TD Bank employee, along with fake letters and invoices.
The victim wrote checks totaling $2.8 million, prosecutors say. His life savings were drained, and he was forced to give up his apartment.
Prosecutors say Stergo, meanwhile, bought a home in a gated community, several cars, a boat, gold, Rolex watches, designer clothes and took expensive trips.
Stergo is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. Any sentence will be decided by a federal judge.
Romance scam losses have skyrocketed in the last few years, according to the Florida Trade Commission. In 2021, reported losses reached $547 million, up from $307 million in 2020, and from only $87 million in 2017.
He won’t get the money back. She spent it on food. Checked the pic-guilty.
I suspect the fact that he was a Holocaust survivor had nothing to do with it.
Geeze...his eyesight must have been bad.
FL woman, not to be left behind, springs into action…
Hope things are well for you!
What despicable behavior. It’s such a shame that he had no person or entity in his life paying attention to him being sucked dry.
The name, Peaches Sturgo, and that photo would be the basis for a comedy film - if it wasn’t for the poor old guy who got cheated.
Face time with Peaches would mean death by suffocation. Yuk!
God have mercy! Please tell me no man has ever gone there!
guilty of over inflation
The article doesn’t say if the elderly man is still alive. What a shame he had no one looking out for him.
“Face time”. LoL
Well, that’s the pits.
He’s 87 and lonely the fact she talked to him was all it took
But he should have known a woman who’s name is “Peaches” should be avoided at all cost, it’s a bad stripper name
And in addition I’ll wager that there’s at least some...if not a lot...of brain deterioration as well.
Fer 2.8 mil I'm thinkin Homer coulda upped his game..
Great name
He missed her craaaaazy eyes.
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