An Oklahoma woman has been charged with laundering about $1.5 million in money that was gained through online romance scams that prey on older women.
Christine Joan Echohawk, 53, was arrested Monday, according to Attorney General Gentner Drummond. She is charged with laundering money from victims outside of the state between September 30, 2024, and December 26, 2024.
According to officials, every fatality was a woman between the ages of 64 and 79.
According to a news release from Drummond’s office, the victims thought they were giving money to a male subject with whom they were allegedly in an online relationship.
According to Drummond, one woman even sold her home to pay the scammer $600,000.
“These types of scams that target seniors are especially egregious,” Drummond stated. “I applaud the work of my Consumer Protection Unit to fight for these victims and to hold accountable their alleged perpetrator.”
In addition, the news release stated that the victims moved money to Echohawk-owned accounts at MidFirst Bank and provided cash, cashiers’ checks, and Apple gift cards.
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The bank also notified Drummond’s office in January that it suspected senior fraud behavior after holding a $120,000 transfer from one of the victims.
Despite a brief pause, Echohawk allegedly continued to launder money after being questioned by law authorities in January 2024 on potential illegal behavior, according to Drummond’s office.
Echohawk is suspected of turning the money into cryptocurrencies and transferring the payments to an unnamed suspect, according to officials.
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Echohawk was accused of violating state laws by utilizing a computer and unlawfully using illicit proceeds. All five of the charges against her entail sentences ranging from 24 to 62 years in prison and penalties of up to $260,000.
Anyone with suspicions of fraud is urged to contact Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s Consumer Protection Unit at [email protected] or 833-681-1895.
Source: Fox News
