Florida Woman Swindles Holocaust Survivor She Met on Dating Site Out of $2.8 Million

On Wednesday, a Florida lady who orchestrated a yearslong romance rip-off that defrauded an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor out of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} was arrested.

Federal prosecutors say that Peaches Stergo allegedly began her rip-off in Could 2017 and defrauded the sufferer out of $2.8 million over 4 years.

In line with the indictment, Stergo met the sufferer on a relationship web site and ultimately requested cash from him so she may pay her lawyer, who was refusing to launch funds from an harm settlement.

Stergo claimed that the settlement cash had been deposited into her TD Checking account after the sufferer gave her the cash. Nevertheless, she by no means obtained any cash from an harm settlement.

After 4 years of alleged lies, Stergo was charged with one depend of wire fraud, which may end up in a 20-year jail sentence.

U.S. Lawyer Damian Williams mentioned in a press release that “Stergo deceived an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, maliciously draining his life savings so she could become a millionaire through fraud. Stergo forged documents and impersonated a bank employee in exchange for a life of fancy trips, Rolex watches, and luxury purchases.”

On a number of events, Stergo demanded that the sufferer deposit cash into her financial institution accounts. She claimed that if he failed to take action, her accounts can be frozen, and he would by no means be repaid.

The indictment revealed that Stergo obtained 62 checks, totaling greater than $2.8 million, deposited into her account.

Prosecutors claimed that Stergo led a lavish way of life with the hundreds of thousands she obtained from the fraud whereas the sufferer misplaced his life financial savings and was compelled to surrender his house.

Stergo is alleged to have bought a house in a gated neighborhood, a condominium, a ship, and quite a few vehicles, together with a Corvette and a Chevy Suburban.

Moreover, she spent 1000’s of {dollars} on costly journeys, inns, gold cash, jewellery, Rolexes, and designer garments from Tiffany, Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes.