A senior radiologist from Connecticut has shared her devastating story after losing her entire $1 million life savings to an elaborate online romance scam that played out over more than a year.
The Dream Connection That Turned Into a Nightmare
Jackie Crenshaw, 61, a successful senior manager for breast imaging at Yale New Haven Hospital, felt something was missing in her life. Having focused on her career, she had not been in a serious relationship for a decade. In May 2023, hoping to find companionship, she joined a black dating website.
She soon connected with a man who called himself Brandon. Crenshaw told AARP she was immediately drawn to his 'beautiful blue eyes' and sent him a message to compliment them. He responded quickly, and an intense digital relationship began. For over a year, they exchanged messages and spoke on the phone up to five times a day.
The scammer worked meticulously to build trust and emotional dependency. 'If I mentioned I was hungry, there would be food delivered,' Crenshaw recalled to WTNH. He sent thoughtful gifts, including jewellery and a personalised necklace featuring her picture on one side and a photo purportedly of him on the other.
The Cryptocurrency Trap and Mounting Losses
After securing her trust, the man introduced an investment opportunity. He claimed to have become a cryptocurrency expert during the pandemic and showed her fake receipts from a company called Coinclusta, which indicated he had turned a $170,000 investment into $2 million.
Persuaded by his success, Crenshaw initially invested $40,000 from her retirement account. To cement the illusion, the scammer sent her a cheque for $100,000, claiming it was her return. However, the cheque was written by a woman in Florida, raising Crenshaw's first suspicions.
Despite checking with the issuing bank, which said the account was legitimate, and having local police dismiss her concerns, she continued to send money. The scammer provided falsified statements showing huge returns, leading Crenshaw to believe her investments were thriving. She even took out a $189,000 loan against her home to send more funds.
The Crushing Revelation and Aftermath
The truth only emerged in June 2024, when an anonymous caller with what police described as a 'thick Indian accent' tipped them off, saying he felt bad for Crenshaw. She discovered the woman who wrote the $100,000 cheque was another victim of the same romance-investment scam, a scheme known as 'financial grooming' or 'pig butchering'.
When Crenshaw confronted the scammer, he denied everything. He then used her personal information to apply for loans and credit cards after she stopped responding to him. A Connecticut State Police investigation traced one of the scammer's e-wallets to China and another to Nigeria, highlighting the international nature of the crime. There is no way for her to recover the stolen $1 million.
A Warning to Others and Rising Threat of Romance Scams
Crenshaw is now working with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and AARP to raise awareness, particularly for adults over 60. Official data underscores the scale of the problem.
In 2024, Americans reported 859,532 internet crime complaints, resulting in $16.6 billion in losses. Adults aged 60 and over filed 147,127 of those complaints, suffering $4.86 billion in losses. Romance scams specifically accounted for 7,626 complaints in this age group, with losses totalling $389 million.
Authorities and advocacy groups offer clear advice to avoid such traps:
- Insist on an in-person meeting in a public place before committing emotionally or financially.
- Never send money or gifts to someone you have only met online.
- Perform a reverse image search on photos you receive to check their authenticity.
- Always consult with a trusted financial advisor or family member if someone online asks for money.
Jackie Crenshaw's story is a stark reminder of the sophisticated and heartless nature of modern digital fraud, where criminals exploit loneliness for immense financial gain.
