Florida Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Draining Holocaust Survivor’s Life Savings in Romance Scam
NEW YORK (AP) — In a shocking case of deceit and fraud, Peaches Stergo, a 36-year-old woman from Champions Gate, Florida, received a sentence of over four years in prison on Thursday for draining the life savings of an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. Stergo, who posed as a love interest, managed to obtain a whopping $2.8 million from the unsuspecting victim and used it to fund a lavish lifestyle.
U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos, in Manhattan federal court, described Stergo’s actions as “unspeakably cruel” and driven by sheer greed as he handed down the sentence. Stergo, given a chance to speak, tearfully apologized for her actions. She had pleaded guilty to wire fraud in April, confessing to her crime of draining the elderly man’s finances.
The scheme began in May 2017 when Stergo convinced the once successful businessman to lend her money. She claimed to need the funds to pay off a lawyer who was withholding a settlement from a bogus injury claim. Falling for her lies, the victim paid her $25,000. Over the next four years, Stergo constantly manipulated the man, convincing him to write 62 checks totaling over $2.8 million until he was left penniless.
Prosecutors revealed that Stergo used a series of lies and fabricated documents, including fake letters from a bank employee, to convince the victim to part with his money. She even traveled to New York to visit him, masquerading as a Florida nanny named “Alice” and deliberately concealing her long-term relationship with another man and her two children.
As the elderly man lost his life savings and was ultimately forced to surrender his apartment, Stergo wasted no time in spending his money on a luxurious lifestyle. She indulged in expensive trips to Europe and Las Vegas, alongside living in her gated community and enjoying her boat and numerous cars, including a Corvette and a Suburban. Prosecutors revealed that Stergo squandered nearly all of the victim’s money on extravagant purchases, such as expensive meals, gold coins and bars, jewelry, Rolex watches, and designer clothing.
In addition to her prison sentence, Stergo has been ordered to pay restitution and forfeit the $2.8 million she obtained through her fraudulent actions. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams expressed satisfaction with the sentence, emphasizing that romance scammers will be held accountable for their crimes. Damian stated, “Peaches Stergo callously defrauded an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who was simply looking for companionship. But she did not get away with it.”
The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, suffers from cognitive decline and other health issues, making him particularly vulnerable to Stergo’s manipulation. In a letter to the judge, he described the betrayal as “unspeakable pain and loss.”
Stergo’s defense attorney, Ann Marie Fitz, argued that her client had a genuine relationship with the victim, claiming that she took care of him during illnesses and spent holidays with him. Fitz also emphasized Stergo’s role as a partner and mother. However, the extent of Stergo’s deception and the harm caused to the elderly man’s life savings left little doubt over the severity of her actions.
As society becomes increasingly interconnected through online platforms, cases like Stergo’s serve as a stark reminder to exercise caution and skepticism when it comes to online relationships.