4 May 23-29, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ SOUTH FLORIDA MONEY MULE LOCAL WOMAN CHARGED IN ROMANCE FRAUD SCHEMES. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN R omance scammers have been banking — to the tune of billions of dollars — on the knowledge that loneliness and the desire for love can lead people to abandon a healthy sense of skepticism. Once they in- gratiate themselves to their mark through a dating app or social media, the scammers tell tall tales of hardship and plead for financial support. Vulnerable, often elderly victims have fallen prey in droves, sending vast sums of money to con artists posing as romantic part- ners. In 2023 alone, the Federal Trade Com- mission received more than 64,000 reports of romance scams with losses totaling more than $1.1 billion. With romance scams running rampant, police and federal law enforcement are scrambling to make a dent. A string of sepa- rate federal cases were recently brought against a Ghanaian model and influencer, a former U.S. Army servicemember, and a group of alleged scammers called the “Yahoo Boys,” to name a few accused of cashing in on romance fraud. According to federal court docs, investiga- tors recently busted one cog in the wheel here in South Florida — a woman who alleg- edly siphoned money to Ghana on behalf of romance scammers. Cristine Petitfrere was taken into custody on May 10 and made her initial appearance in Fort Lauderdale federal court on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, ille- gal money remitting, and engaging in transac- tions with criminal proceeds. Her case shows that the feds are aiming to put the kibosh not only on the scams themselves but also on the avenues through which the fraudulent pro- ceeds are siphoned out of the U.S. From December 2019 to August 2023, prosecutors say, Petitfrere, a resident of Miami-Dade and Broward counties, funneled money from romance scams to a person in Ghana, which the indictment calls “Co-conspirator 1,” in exchange for a commission. The indictment alleges that as-yet uniden- tified scammers duped three elderly victims in their 60s to early 70s into sending money to Petitfrere’s bank accounts and, in one in- stance, a cashier’s check to her Miramar- based company, GlamGoddessArtistry. Prosecutors say the three victims lived in Ari- zona, Indiana, and Virginia, respectively. Petitfrere’s attorney did not respond to New Times’ email and call requesting comment. “The fraudsters would fabricate stories to the romance scam targets about foreign travel to explain why [they] were unable to meet...in person,” the indictment reads. At times the scammers would also create fraudulent personas “who purported to be accountants, lawyers, or other associates.” “Using one or a combination of these per- sonas, the fraudsters would attempt to con- vince the romance scam target that the romance interest had a need for money, such as to pay a tax or a business expense, and cause the romance scam target to transfer or transmit funds to other persons or accounts as directed by the fraudsters,” the indictment reads. In August 2022, a scammer allegedly per- suaded the Virginia-based victim to send $23,670 to Petitfrere’s bank account. Five days later, the investigators found the victim sent $134,562 to another of her bank ac- counts. Prosecutors claim Petitfrere then transferred $121,050 on August 17 to her un- named co-conspirator in Ghana. According to the Federal Trade Commis- sion, reports of romance fraud have more than tripled over the last six years. The amount of reported losses, meanwhile, sky- rocketed from $145 million in 2018 to more than a billion dollars in 2023. In addition to the romance scam money laundering charge, the indictment lists 13 counts against Petitfrere for transacting in criminal proceeds for more than $2 million in other transfers to the co-conspirator’s Gha- naian bank account. The indictment does not specify whether the money was generated by further online scams or separate criminal ac- tivity; the Department of Justice’s Southern District of Florida press office has not re- sponded to New Times’ email requesting more information on the nature of the trans- fers. The money laundering charge carries a ten-year maximum sentence, as do the counts for criminal-proceed transactions. The illegal money-remitting charge carries a five-year maximum sentence. | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Scammers on dating apps will produce endless excuses as to why they can’t meet up in person. Photo by Pla2na/Getty Images ▼ MIAMI GARDENS BUNYANESQUE PATRICK PAUL MADE A HUGE IMPRESSION AT THE DOLPHINS’ ROOKIE MINICAMP. BY RYAN YOUSEFI T he Dolphins unveiled a massive new structure at the rookie minicamp earlier this month. No, Hard Rock Stadium didn’t undergo unannounced offseason renova- tions, but the Dolphins’ home will feature Patrick Paul next season — a six-foot-seven-inch, 330-pound man who’s about as close as you can get without having to file for a building permit. Selected 55th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Paul, a tackle from the University of Houston, has been turning heads and maybe even causing neck strain for anyone trying to make eye con- tact. Although the recent minicamp was closed to the public, images flooding social media showed that Paul looked like a different species, even next to fellow professional athletes. Alongside seven draft picks, 12 undrafted hopefuls, and a handful of tryout players, Paul stood out. There is NFL big, and there is NBA tall, and then there is Paul, who’s seemingly a cross between both of those traits, created in a lab with the sole purpose of protecting quarterbacks. Even some of the most veteran reporters at the time, such as the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly, weren’t exactly accustomed to the sight of Paul. To even get a glimpse of Paul, one had to look toward the sun, making the task that much more difficult. If Paul plays even half as well as he can block the sun, then Miami’s quarterback, Tua Tago- vailoa, will be one of the safest quarterbacks in the league. There may be some sweltering days this Fall when the Dolphins will ask Paul to cast a shadow in front of the bench. We can already hear the Buffalo Bills crying about competitive disadvantage! As if Paul didn’t look big enough when others were taking photos of him next to fellow rookies, Paul himself took hold of the camera and deliv- ered images of teammates behind him that seemed to have been taken from atop a nearby building. Paul made the first-team All-AAC in his first two years with Hous- ton, and after the school switched conferences, he was selected for the first-team All- Big 12 in his final year of college play. So, there’s solid evidence he’s got blocking talent to back up his stature. To boot, he’s the younger brother of NFL of- fensive guard Chris Paul, who’s been playing for the Washington Commanders since the team drafted him in 2022. Heading into the 2024 season, Patrick Paul might be competing for a backup offensive- tackle spot against Kendall Lamm, a veteran who made his mark filling in for an injured Terron Armstead last year. While many were confused by the Dolphins’ second-round selection of Paul — who many deem a bit of a project player — it’s clear what the Dolphins saw in him: unreal physical attri- butes and the potential to lead a stalwart offen- sive line in front of Tagovailoa. Dolphins GM Chris Grier said as much during the post-draft press conference. “He was the highest-rated player on our board. Even when he’s not perfect, the length sometimes allows him to recover. He can add depth and compete for a role in the future.” If first impressions are any indication, Paul seems like a football player you’d want on your team. [email protected] THERE IS NFL BIG, AND THERE IS NBA TALL, AND THEN THERE IS PAUL, WHO’S SEEMINGLY A CROSS BETWEEN BOTH.
