Damian Williams, the US Legal professional for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Cost of the New York Subject Workplace of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), introduced the unsealing of an Indictment at present charging PEACHES STERGO with participating in a years-long scheme to defraud an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor of his life financial savings. STERGO was arrested at present and can be introduced within the Center District of Florida. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Decide Edgardo Ramos.
U.S. Legal professional Damian Williams mentioned: “As alleged, for years, Stergo deceived an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, maliciously draining his life financial savings so she may change into a millionaire by fraud. Stergo solid paperwork and impersonated a financial institution worker in trade for a lifetime of fancy journeys, Rolex watches, and luxurious purchases. In the present day’s arrest reemphasizes this Workplace’s dedication to searching for justice for victims of economic frauds.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll mentioned: “In the present day we allege the defendant callously preyed on a senior citizen merely searching for companionship, defrauding him of his life financial savings. The FBI is decided to get justice for victims of fraud and to make sure that scammers face justice for his or her actions.”
In line with the allegations contained within the Indictment, which was unsealed at present in Manhattan federal courtroom:[1]
From a minimum of in or about Might 2017, as much as and together with a minimum of October 2021, STERGO engaged in a scheme to defraud an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor (the “Sufferer”) of over $2.8 million, which was his life financial savings.
STERGO met the Sufferer on a courting web site roughly six or seven years in the past. In or about early 2017, STERGO requested the Sufferer to borrow cash to pay her lawyer, who she claimed was refusing to launch funds from an harm settlement. After the Sufferer gave her the cash, STERGO mentioned the settlement funds had been deposited into her TD Checking account. In actuality, financial institution information present STERGO by no means acquired any cash from an harm settlement.
Over the following 4 and a half years, STERGO continued her lies. She repeatedly demanded that the Sufferer deposit cash into her financial institution accounts. She claimed that if he didn’t, her accounts can be frozen, and he would by no means be paid again. In whole, the Sufferer wrote 62 checks — totaling over $2.8 million — that had been deposited into considered one of two of STERGO’s financial institution accounts.
In furtherance of the fraud, STERGO created a faux e mail account, supposed to look as if it belonged to a TD Financial institution worker. She additionally created faux letters from a TD Financial institution worker and faux invoices.
Whereas the Sufferer misplaced his life financial savings and was compelled to surrender his condo, STERGO lived a lifetime of luxurious with the thousands and thousands she acquired from the fraud: she purchased a house in a gated group, a condominium, a ship, and quite a few vehicles, together with a Corvette and a Suburban. Through the course of the fraud, STERGO additionally took costly journeys, staying at locations just like the Ritz Carlton, and spent many tens of hundreds of {dollars} on costly meals, gold cash and bars, jewellery, Rolex watches, and designer clothes from shops like Tiffany, Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes.
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STERGO, 36, of Champions Gate, Florida, is charged with one depend of wire fraud, which carries a most sentence of 20 years in jail.
The utmost potential sentence on this case is prescribed by Congress and is supplied right here for informational functions solely, as any sentencing of the defendant can be decided by a decide.
Mr. Williams praised the excellent investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being dealt with by the Workplace’s Common Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Legal professional Adam Sowlati is answerable for the prosecution.
The costs contained within the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed harmless until and till confirmed responsible.