A Florida woman has been sentenced for laundering millions of dollars made from romance scams.
Cristine Petitfrere, a resident of Miramar, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after a lengthy FBI Miami Field Office investigation. Trial Attorneys Matthew A. Robinson and Lauren M. Elfner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case.
“Romance scams are a growing threat to Americans, particularly to the elderly and vulnerable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Florida woman sentenced for romance scam laundering
As Due reported, in September 2024, Petitfrere held her hands up to the charges laid against her in the Southern District of Florida.
“Romance scams cause not only significant losses but also profound emotional harm to countless individuals,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton at the time of the guilty plea.
According to the evidence presented, she worked with a co-conspirator who would bank a percentage of the money from the illicit scheme and launder the proceeds. Petitfrere allegedly laundered over $2.7 million and earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees.
The court report also stated that romance schemes cause significant financial losses and profoundly impact the lives of victims, many of whom are elderly. According to Federal Trade Commission data, Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023.
Director Boyton concluded, “We will continue to vigorously pursue those who help facilitate these criminal enterprises, whether they work on the frontlines of deception or behind the scenes.”
In the same month Petitfrere pleaded guilty in 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged multiple entities with profiting from relationship-focused investment scams.
Companies NanoBit Limited, Radiant Horizons Limited, Sweet Karma Fashion Inc., Zhao Tropical Deli Inc. were charged alongside individuals Jiajie Liu, Fei Liao, and Hua Zhao.
Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, said, “Relationship investment scams, including those involving crypto-asset investments, pose a risk of catastrophic harm to retail investors, and the threat is increasing rapidly as these scams become more popular with fraudsters.”
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