Arrested after defrauding a Holocaust survivor and draining his life savings

by time news

A Florida woman is accused of launching a “long-standing scheme” to defraud a Holocaust survivor and steal $2.8 million. She also used a fake email account and created fake letters and invoices that appeared to be from a bank branch employee. Around October 2021, God told his son what happened

The Ministry of Justice arrested a 36-year-old woman from Florida after allegedly carrying out a “year-long plan” to defraud an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and drain his life savings. The office said that over the course of more than four years, Persa Strago took over $2.8 million from the exploitation.

Strago was arrested last Wednesday, prosecutor Damien Williams said that “she maliciously drained the savings of a Holocaust survivor so she could become a millionaire through fraud.”

According to the Justice Department, Strago met her victim between 2016 and 2017 when he lived in Manhattan. In early 2017, she asked him if she could borrow money to pay for her lawyer “whom she claims refuses to release funds from a legal settlement.” But bank records showed she never received any settlement money. That was just the beginning of a series of lies, authorities said.

Prosecutors say Strago repeatedly demanded the 87-year-old give her money to prevent her accounts from being frozen. During that time, he wrote 62 checks totaling more than $2.8 million, the Justice Department said, adding that she also used a fake email account and created fake letters and invoices that appeared to be from a bank branch employee.

It wasn’t until around October 2021 that the man told his son what had happened. Strago was able to use that money to buy a house, boat and cars, as well as take expensive trips, and buy gold coins and bars, Rolex watches and designer clothes, according to prosecutors. Meanwhile, the Holocaust survivor has since been forced to sell his apartment.

“Strego falsified documents and posed as a bank employee in exchange for a life of lavish trips, Rolex watches and luxury purchases,” Williams said. “The arrest reaffirms this office’s commitment to seeking justice for victims of financial fraud.”

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