Romance scam victim faces 29 years in prison

April 16, 2025

By Kim Komando

Jean lives in the Midwest. She’s smart. She’s done well for herself. The kind of woman you’d think could spot a scam a mile away. Btw, that’s not her picture. It’s what I envision her looking like after talking to her.

But this fraud blindsided her, and four years later, it’s still haunting her.

It started with a man online 

She was lonely. He was charming, attentive and said all the right things. Jean, like so many others, was pulled in by the connection. When he asked for help moving some money, she said yes, thinking she was doing a favor for someone she cared about.

Then came the big ask: Could she help him turn a pile of cash into Bitcoin? 

It was urgent, complicated and she was the only one he could trust. Over time, Jean moved $300,000 in cash to Bitcoin for him. She didn’t know it, but she had just become a money mule in a massive scam.

The fallout was catastrophic

The Secret Service raided her home. She’s now under indictment for money laundering, facing 29 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. She lost $200,000 of her own money to the scammer and has spent another $250,000 in legal fees just trying to stay out of prison.

This wasn’t just a scam 

It was a full-blown takedown of her life. Here’s what you need to take away from Jean’s story:

• Never send money or move money for someone you’ve never met in real life. Period. If you haven’t shared fries or made awkward eye contact in person, you definitely shouldn’t be sharing routing numbers.

• If someone asks you to convert cash into Bitcoin, run. That’s a favorite trick of scammers. Once that crypto’s gone, it’s gone.

• Urgency is your clue. “Don’t tell anyone.” “This has to happen right now.” If the words “urgent wire transfer” come up before the first in-person date, run. That’s not love, that’s manipulation.
  
• Watch where they want to talk. If they try to get you onto WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram early in the conversation, huge red flag. These apps are often used by scammers to stay anonymous.
  
• Trust, but verify. Do a reverse image search. Talk to a friend. Or send me a note, I’ll tell you straight. Love is blind, but your browser isn’t. Use it.

Jean is brave for sharing her story with me. She’s doing it in hopes that you don’t fall into the same trap. Her pain might just save you or someone else. Why not share this story on your social media now? Use the handy icons below.