Minnesota Man Scams Florida Widower

0:00A Minnesota man named Benjamin Yaka just got convicted for running a romance scam on a 79-year-old widower in Bradance in Florida. Bradance and police announced it on April 15, saying, Yaka pulled off Grand Theft and now owes the victim $31,000 in, restitution. The guy fell for it hard after chatting online for over eight months. The scam started with Yaka pretending to be a woman named Julia on Facebook Messenger, claiming she lived in the United Kingdom and was planning to. Move to the States for a relationship. Julia said she owed money to a guy in Minnesota and needed help paying it off to make the move happen faster. So the widower sent cash, money orders, and cashier's checks to addresses in Minneapolis. Folks like this widower get hit because these scams play on loneliness, especially after losing a spouse. Police say Yaka used the photo of a real woman from West Virginia without her knowing, making the whole thing seem legit. The impact is huge, $31,000 gone, trust shattered, and these stories remind us how vulnerable seniors

1:05can be online. Detectives tracked the money straight to Yaka's bank in home back in November 2024. When they searched the place, they found evidence of other victims across different states. He got extradited to Manatee County to face charges. In early April, Yaka pleaded no contest to the second degree felony, landing him one year in jail, followed by four years of probation. With restitution locked in, this case shows justice catching up to these digital crooks, hopefully warning others to stay sharp. From your city, powered by AI, this is Tampa Bay News Today.