Two women, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy, have been charged with running romance schemes to defraud elderly men of over $7 million. The scheme involved luring victims into relationships through various means, then convincing them to send money under false pretenses. The women were arrested in Florida and New York and are facing charges of money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. Prosecutors stated that the victims were convinced to send money for fake businesses, organ transplants, and other reasons. Stanley allegedly conned one victim out of $555,000 by requesting money for rent and using his credit card credentials to make charges. She also convinced another victim to wire her over $1 million by pretending to be a psychic. Guy duped four victims out of over $900,000 by claiming to need money for medical procedures, then using it for personal expenses. The defendants also convinced another victim to send money for a dressmaking business in New York City. The FBI called the scheme an exploitation of innocent individuals seeking companionship for personal benefit. Both women face potential prison sentences of 20 years for each charge. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized that romance scammers will be held accountable for their crimes. The defendants’ legal representation was not immediately clear.
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