Legal Question in Criminal Law in Virginia

My mother met a man on a millionaire dating website. They have been communicating for several months now via the internet and text messages. Together, they have made plans several time for him to move to VA and live with my mother. He claims he is from another country that I cannot remember off the top of my head. Every time he is supposed to come, he comes up with another excuse. "My mother broke her hip", "I have appendicitis", just to name a couple. He claims to have all sorts of money tied up into jewels and gold and such. Every time they plan for him to come down here however, he asks my mother to send him money so he can make the trip, claiming problems with his overseas gold accounts and such. She has now sent him upwards of $50k total and is now on some sort of watch list because she has been wiring him so much money. I worry that because she is willingly sending him money, that he is technically not doing anything illegal. However, since this has been happening over and over again, I am wondering if fraud could be considered. Honestly, I would not be surprised if he was lying about his name. I am frustrated because this is money my mother does not need to be giving away, and I don't want her to get hurt. Any legal advice would be much appreciated. I really just want to know if he is technically doing anything illegal. I have never met the guy, but what he is doing to my mother is just not right.


Asked on 9/26/11, 2:02 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Another Internet scam, of course, from a fraudster probably operating out of

Nigeria, or, perhaps, the U.K., and who, of course, has no intention of darkening

your mother's door anytime soon with his personal presence. (Which in and of

itself is very likely a good thing.)

However, be that as it may, what would be even better though would be if your mother "would wake up and smell the coffee" (as advice columnist Ann Landers was wont to say) and immediately ceased sending any more money to this fraudster who preys on lonely hearts and who is undoubtedly well beyond the reach of any U.S. law enforcement authorities who might be of a mind to prosecute him and will undoubtedly remain so. (Another reason,

"Mr. Goldfingers" will not be visiting your mother anytime soon.)

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Answered on 9/26/11, 3:31 pm


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