Romance Scammers Sentenced for Stealing $10 Million from Widows

February 20, 2026 · 4 min read

A federal judge this week sentenced two scammers to more than 30 years in prison for running a romance fraud scheme that stole nearly $10 million from elderly widows. It’s one of the largest romance fraud cases we’ve seen prosecuted — and it’s a stark reminder of how these scams actually work.

The full story was reported by Fox 8 News.

What happened

Kenneth Akpieyi and Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall targeted women over 60 on Facebook and Instagram, posing as oil rig workers and decorated military officers. They built romantic relationships over weeks or months, then moved conversations to WhatsApp and email — away from the platforms where they could be reported.

Once trust was established, the money requests began.

More than two dozen women came forward. One 77-year-old woman from Mandeville, Louisiana believed she was communicating with a four-star military general. She lost over $100,000 before she realized what was happening.

Federal agents only learned about the operation when that Mandeville woman reported her losses. The investigation revealed a scheme stretching across states, with total losses approaching $10 million.

Why this keeps happening

Romance scams are the most financially devastating type of fraud targeting seniors. According to a recent Fortune investigation, the FBI reported $16.6 billion in total fraud losses in 2024 — a 33% increase from the prior year. Victims over 60 accounted for over 7,600 reported cases and roughly $400 million in losses. And fewer than 5% of victims ever report to authorities, meaning the real number is far higher.

Howard Rodgers, executive director of the New Orleans Council on Aging, put it simply: “We’re starting to see that they’re getting more educated on utilizing their smartphones, and in the process, that’s opening up the scams.”

That’s the painful reality. The same technology that helps seniors stay connected to family and friends also exposes them to people who want to exploit that connection.

The pattern to watch for

Romance scams almost always follow the same playbook:

1. First contact on social media. The scammer’s profile looks real — photos of an attractive person, a plausible backstory, mutual friends or interests.
2. Move to private channels fast. They push to WhatsApp, email, or phone calls within days. This gets them off platforms that might flag their accounts.
3. Build emotional dependency. Daily messages, pet names, future plans. The relationship feels real because the victim is investing real emotion.
4. The ask. It starts small — a gift card, a small wire “for an emergency.” Then it escalates. Medical bills, travel costs, business opportunities.
5. Isolation. “Don’t tell your family — they won’t understand our love.” This is the most dangerous part. By the time anyone else finds out, the losses are already catastrophic. That’s why regular check-ins with your parents matter so much.

What you can do

If someone you care about is widowed, recently lost a spouse, or lives alone, they are a prime target for this exact kind of scam. Here’s what actually helps:

• Talk about it openly. Don’t wait until after it happens. Mention this story at dinner. Make it normal to say “I got a weird message, can you look at this?”
• Set up a check-in system. If they meet someone new online, they tell you. Not because you’re controlling — because scammers rely on secrecy. If you’re not sure where to start, our guide to setting up scam protection for a parent walks through the process.
• Give them someone to text. When something feels off but they’re not sure, they need a fast, easy way to check. That’s why we built Antigrift — text us a screenshot and we’ll tell you if it’s a scam in seconds.

The two scammers in this case are going to prison for decades. But there are thousands more like them operating right now. The best defense isn’t software — it’s making sure the people you love have someone to ask before they send money. (Though the right tools help — see our best scam protection tools for 2026.)