The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Florida woman was accused of using a dating app to scam a disabled man out of more than $2,000 by allegedly pretending she was trying to escape an abusive relationship, according to the authorities.
The investigation began after the alleged victim contacted the authorities and explained that he had met the woman through Facebook Dating. The two reportedly communicated by phone for a period of time, during which she allegedly claimed she was trapped in a violent domestic situation and needed financial help to leave.
According to investigators, the woman sent the alleged victim photos that reportedly appeared to show injuries to support her story. The man reportedly believed the claims and continued sending her money because he felt sorry for her situation.
The alleged victim later discovered the story was allegedly false and confronted the woman about the money. Investigators said she allegedly admitted she had only been speaking with him because he was disabled and willing to send cash. The authorities also alleged that she had been carrying out similar scams against other people since 2025.
During an interview with detectives, the woman allegedly stated that if someone was “dumb enough” to send money, that was their problem. Investigators said she also admitted she understood what she was doing was wrong. According to the authorities, she even asked detectives to apologize to the alleged victim on her behalf.
The woman was arrested and charged with defrauding property or committing organized fraud. Court records showed she was scheduled to appear for arraignment on June 23.
Detectives reportedly began reviewing whether other people may have sent the woman money after hearing similar stories involving claims of domestic violence or sex trafficking.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.