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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 28 Dec 2011 Posts: 13

Woman, Mom Indicted For Internet Dating Scam

BRIGHTON, Colo. -- A Brighton woman and her mother have been indicted by the Colorado Attorney General's Office accused of a Nigerian Internet romance scam that duped 374 people out of more than $1 million.

According to the 20-count indictment, individuals working with the women posed as members of the U.S. military serving in Afghanistan on Internet dating sites.

After an online relationship was established, victims were asked to send money and were led to believe that the soldiers would use the money to fly back to the United States and pay other expenses.

The indictment alleges that 40-year-old Tracy Vasseur and her 72-year-old mother, Karen Vasseur, posed as military agents and accepted hundreds of wired payments sent by victims over a 3-year period.

The Vasseurs took a percentage of the stolen money and then wired the remaining money to associates in Nigeria, the Attorney General's Office said.

The Vasseurs established 20 personal and business bank accounts at 11 local banks for the purpose of laundering the stolen money, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said.

As part of the scheme, Tracy Vasseur also used a 16-year-old to fraudulently receive stolen money and then wire it to Nigeria, the Colorado Attorney General's Office said.

The victims lived throughout the United States and 40 other countries.

The indictment alleges violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, money laundering and theft.

Tracy Vasseur faces up to 205 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Karen Vasseur faces up to 172 years in prison.

The Office of the Attorney General worked in conjunction with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Brighton Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service to investigate the case and secure the indictment. The Office of the Attorney General will prosecute the case in Adams County District Court.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/31206445/detail.html

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:29 pm

We are actually quite familiar with these mules over at scamwarners, and the daughter, Tracy, actually joined SW at one point, in an attempt to get references to her removed (we refused, as she was still an active mule and showed no signs of stopping.)

This is a big victory for the anti-scam community--these women seriously needed to be arrested. Don't let the mother's age make you feel sympathetic--she knew perfectly well what she was doing, she just didn't care. This isn't mom's only fraud case, either.

Now let's hope that a good number of those charges stick, and they get some real jail time.

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:59 pm

Part of me is hoping that is not the case with the mule I sent you info on last night, Dorothy.

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:03 pm

Fortunately, most of the mules we see are basically good people who get in over their heads.

These two mules are the exception rather than the rule.

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:05 pm

I figured. I hope those two get nailed to the wall...

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:19 pm

Crossing that line from mule to accomplice...hope they enjoy their stay at the ol' Graybar Hotel.

Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:51 pm

A very similar article about this arrest is in the Denver Post. The Post article also contains a link to the actual indictment. The indictment is a fascinating (and disturbing) read.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 28 Dec 2011 Posts: 13

That indictment is just brutal. I'm really glad the authorities did their homework...those charges are going to stick Smile

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:26 pm

No surprise but very disappointing to see the tone of comments in the Denver Post article linked above. I know, I know, one should never expect quality in comments on news articles etc., but still....

A representative example from someone who fails to appreciate the insidious nature of scams like these:

Quote:

How silly. How could people fall for such drivel?
Now if you'll excuse me, a rich Nigerian prince needs to transfer his vast wealth into my bank account...

Sigh

Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:40 pm

^^^ Some people will never get it until it happens to someone they know. Too little, too late.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1066

I think people just foolishly believe that they're too smart to ever be scammed. I used to carry the same mentality. I figured, you would have to be an idiot to ever fall for these scams. Eventually, I realized that just about everybody gets been scammed at some point in their lifetimes, including me. I may have never fallen for the old Nigerian prince line but I've definitely overpaid for things and made bad financial decisions when under duress.

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:00 am

The last count is contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Not only Karen and Tracy, but also Tracy's teenage daughter, Molly, were receiving money from victims and sending it to Nigeria. Hopefully Molly, who wasn't in the racket as long as her mother and grandmother, can still unlearn how to mule. The elder two deserve to turn into a pillar of borax.

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:33 am

Sadly, Tracy has 4 kids, and from what I know, she was using the 2 oldest for collecting. The older was over 18, that's why there were no related charges.

Mother's and Grandmother's actions will have a lifelong impact on all 4 of them. Hopefully they will choose to take a completely different path.

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 11:49 am

What these women did was awful; however, involving one's minor children and any of this woman's young children is the worst of the worst.

Hopefully when their mother goes to prison for the rest of her life, there is some family member who can take them in and give them guidance to life with a good moral compass.

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:27 pm

A victory and hopefully a message to others. It's good to see justice served.
Quote:

Quote:

How silly. How could people fall for such drivel?
Now if you'll excuse me, a rich Nigerian prince needs to transfer his vast wealth into my bank account...

Yeah well these two and lads were involved in romance scams. Not only that but probably the most successful one out there. Almost everyday a victim post at SW that they are involved in this scam and I haven't read a stupid victim yet. These scams wreak their victims financially and and emotionally and it's almost in fathomable to me these two women could justify what they were doing after the damage they helped cause.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 02 Jul 2012 Posts: 7

I don't think they will be doing it again.Organized crime charges carry a
life sentence, but for everyone they catch there are hundreds still getting
away with it. Mad

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