According to the case materials, 30-year-old Christine Petfrer from the city of MiMar used bank accounts to receive funds obtained through fraudulent romantic scams. The perpetrator kept a portion of the money as a reward and sent the remaining amount to an accomplice overseas. In total, she managed to launder over $2.7 million, keeping hundreds of thousands as personal income.
Romantic fraud involves the creation of fake online profiles to establish trust and sympathy with victims, leading to financial deception. These schemes not only result in substantial financial losses but also have a profound emotional impact on victims, many of whom are elderly. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $1.14 billion to such scams in 2023.
Christine Petitfrer is set to be sentenced in December of this year in the court of the Southern District of Florida. She could face up to 10 years in prison, with the final sentence to be determined by a federal judge based on sentencing guidelines and other legal factors.