Romance Scam Tricked 74-Year-Old Tennessee Retiree Out of $86K Before His Suicide – What You Must Know to Stay Safe

Initially, they tricked a 74-year-old retired educator from Jonesborough, Tennessee, into believing he was in a romantic relationship with a famous individual. After that, they swindled him out of $86,900.

Then he ended his life.

Two years on, the swindlers are now inmates, facing federal prison terms. They are required to pay $388,500 in compensation.

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On December 2, 2025, Stephen O. Anagor, aged 37 from Lakewood, Washington, received a nine-year prison sentence. His former military training classmate, Chinagorom Onwumere, 36, from Piscataway, New Jersey, was given a seven-year term. Additionally, Onwumere’s wife, Salma Abdalkareem, 29, was sentenced to just over four years. (1).

Prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice stated that the three individuals collaborated in 2023 to assist a family member in Nigeria in deceiving older Americans via online romantic fraud schemes.

After they convinced the retired teacher that he was dating a well-known actress, they reversed the situation.

They pretended to be a former FBI director and a U.S. attorney general, informing the victim that the celebrity had lodged a complaint and was asking for extremely high “fees” to resolve the issue.

By sending threatening emails, they convinced him to issue five checks totaling $86,900 — which included money from a loan he obtained on his truck to cover the costs.

In his last message to the individual he thought was the celebrity, he mentioned he had no more funds to offer her and that he planned to take his own life. He died by suicide on October 23, 2023.

As NJ.comreported, after his passing, his relatives found emails connected to the fraud on his tablet and handed it over to the police (2).

Elderly individuals are at risk of falling for love fraud schemes.

This heartbreaking scenario demonstrates the advanced and emotionally controlling nature of romance frauds.

As per the FBI, fraudsters develop false online personas to establish credibility, foster an emotional connection, and eventually defraud their victims (3). They take advantage of the susceptibilities of elderly individuals.

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Numerous senior citizens reside by themselves, might not be well-versed in online deception methods, or feel too shy to share a new romantic relationship with their loved ones. As reported by the Federal Trade Commission, older adults lost $240 million due to romance scams in 2022 alone.

Although each fraud is different, they typically involve similar stages:

• They initiate first contact without warning. Fraudsters typically begin with a “wrong number” message, a match from a dating website, or a friendly social media post. The intention is to initiate a conversation.
• They develop emotional closeness quickly.Fraudsters overwhelm their targets with constant attention. They might send pictures, voice messages, or pre-recorded videos to seem genuine and deeply involved.
• They say they are unable to meet face-to-face.Several individuals feign being stationed abroad, claiming to work on a movie set or manage an issue that keeps them conveniently unavailable.

After the connection is established, financial stress starts. They may assert they require assistance with hospital expenses, obtaining travel papers, or handling legal costs.

In more severe instances — such as the Jonesborough scam — fraudsters impersonate government representatives, informing victims of fabricated investigations or penalties to pressure them into quick payments.

How to safeguard yourself and your family members

Romance fraudsters depend on confidentiality, time constraints, and emotional coercion.

Implementing some simple measures can help identify and prevent these scams before any funds are stolen.

Exercise caution when sharing content on the internet.

Fraudsters search social media for hints: your age, recent setbacks, hobbies, or feelings of isolation can all assist them in crafting a believable narrative. Maintain privacy with your account information and restrict the amount of personal data that strangers can access.

Research new connections

Conduct reverse image searches using profile pictures, verify names and phone numbers, and confirm if information about their occupation, hometown, or history is consistent. If their online presence appears minimal or overly perfect, that could be a warning sign.

Go slow

Anyone who claims to have strong feelings or emotional connections too soon should be viewed with caution. Fraudsters in romantic scams accelerate the relationship on purpose to minimize the likelihood that you will reconsider or doubt the situation.

Never share your financial details or send gift cards to someone you haven’t met in person.

No credible business partner or government organization will ever request gift cards, money transfers, digital currency, or entry to your banking information. If someone says you are facing legal issues or owe penalties, end the call and reach out to the agency by using a verified phone number found on their official website.

What to do if you’ve already been deceived

If you think you’ve sent funds to a fraudulent individual, reach out to your bank or credit card company right away. In certain situations, the transaction might be undone if reported promptly. Maintain all documentation of interactions, screen captures, invoices, and banking records.

You may also submit a complaint to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, which assists investigators in identifying trends and could potentially help recover money in exceptional situations (4).

Victims should also notify local authorities and think about contacting trusted family members, friends, or helplines for emotional assistance, particularly if the scam has led to substantial financial or psychological harm (5).

Article sources

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Department of Justice (1); NJ.com (2); FBI (3); Federal Trade Commission (4); Internet Crime Complaint Center (5)

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