A pair of women conned at least 16 men out of more than $7million in a long-running romance scam, feds said.
The suspects, identified as Rosanna Lisa Stanley, 48, and Gina Guy, 37, in a federal indictment, defrauded the older, 'lonely' marks from 2009 until this year.
Both were arrested on June 25 in North Miami Beach, Florida, and New York City, respectively, according to a release from the US attorney's office.
They face charges of money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy, for luring victims 'into purported romantic or close personal relationships through in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, and an online dating platform,' the complaint said.
Upon earning their trust, the women would convince the victims to send money 'under false pretenses,' prosecutors said.
'As alleged, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy callously defrauded elderly victims who were simply looking for companionship,' US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement that chided the alleged con-women.
'They allegedly used the millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to lead lives of luxury at their victims' expense.
'As [these] arrests demonstrate, perpetrators of romance scams will be held to account for their crimes.'
Williams went on to describe each of the charges leveled against the women, and how each carries a maximum sentence of 20 year.
He also touched on the women would use everything from lies to sex appeal to secure their haul - a strategy further elaborated on in the criminal complaint.
In one alleged instance, feds said Stanley connected with an 'elderly male' who was under the impression he was in an 'exclusive, romantic relationship' with the woman, repeatedly providing her funds for things like rent and living expenses.
At one point, the unnamed victim - who met Stanley in Manhattan in February of last year - allegedly provided Stanley with credentials for one of his credit cards, and even the card itself.
Stanley allegedly went on change the account's password, racking up thousands in charges in the process.
He would wire Stanley thousands more after receiving more requests for funds for a purported catering business run by the suspect, prosecutors further claimed - citing how Stanley used $220,000 of the sum to pay off loans for a boat and luxury car.
Prosecutors said that, in total, Stanley scammed the victim out of at least approximately $555,000 - pennies compared to the next victim.
He was conned of at least $1million by Stanley in a ploy where she pretended to be a psychic and told him his money was 'tainted with bad influences,' and that only she could 'untaint' and 'protect' it before returning to him, cleansed, if he wired it to her, feds said.
Eventually, prosecutors said Stanley - who has addresses on the Upper East Side and Florida - convinced the man to wire her the million, under the false pretense that she could help him reach his 'desired life.'
As for guy, she scammed a further four men, feds said, out of at least $908,000.
In those cases, all the marks were again elderly, and were told by the woman that she needed money for a range of things like fake businesses and organ transplants, prosecutors said.
All complied - as Guy took advantage of their desire for companionship, as the woman went on to '[spend] the money on non-medical personal expenses, including expensive meals, utilities, apartment rent, and luxury goods,' the complaint said.
In once case, Guy allegedly convinced a victim to send her $708,000 so that 'she could help him move his money from his current bank to another bank that offered higher interest rates, so that [he] could maximize the returns on his funds on deposit,' it added.
Another victim who was conned in an alleged tag-team by the pair sent thousands when they told him they wanted to buy a dressmaking business in New York City and needed a loan to do so, federal officials added.
James Smith, FBI assistant director, went on to slam both in his own statement, as each of the charges they are facing carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
“Gina Guy and Rosanna Lisa Stanley allegedly took advantage of innocent individuals seeking companionship and exploited them for their own benefit,” he said
“Collecting millions of dollars from their victims, the perpetrators allegedly gained and betrayed the trust of primarily elderly individuals to fund their luxury purchases.”
The FBI is committed to ensuring those who capitalize on personal connections for selfish reasons are brought to justice and prevented from repeating their crimes.”
As of Sunday, The women were released, each on $250,000 bond. The cases against both are currently pending.