Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy have been charged in a long-running romance scam, defrauding elderly men out of over $7 million. The women face multiple charges, including money laundering and wire fraud.
Florida, Bollywood Fever: Two women have been accused of conning at least 16 men out of more than $7 million in a sophisticated romance scam spanning over a decade. Rosanna Lisa Stanley, 48, and Gina Guy, 37, were identified in a federal indictment and arrested on June 25 in North Miami Beach, Florida, and New York City, respectively.
According to the US attorney’s office, Stanley and Guy face charges of money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. They allegedly lured victims into purported romantic or close personal relationships through in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, and an online dating platform. Prosecutors claim that once the women earned their victims’ trust, they convinced them to send money under false pretenses.
“As alleged, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy callously defrauded elderly victims who were simply looking for companionship,” US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “They allegedly used the millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to lead lives of luxury at their victims’ expense.”
Williams emphasized that each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and described the women’s deceptive strategies, which included using lies and sex appeal to secure their haul.
In one instance, Stanley allegedly connected with an elderly man who believed he was in an exclusive, romantic relationship with her. The victim provided Stanley with funds for rent and living expenses and even handed over his credit card credentials. Stanley reportedly changed the account’s password and racked up thousands in charges. She further convinced the man to wire her thousands more for a purported catering business, using $220,000 of the sum to pay off loans for a boat and luxury car. In total, Stanley scammed the victim out of approximately $555,000.
In a more elaborate scheme, Stanley pretended to be a psychic and told another victim his money was “tainted with bad influences.” She convinced him to wire her $1 million under the false pretense that she could cleanse and protect it, ultimately conning him out of the entire sum.
Gina Guy allegedly defrauded at least four men out of $908,000. She claimed she needed money for fake businesses and organ transplants, exploiting the victims’ desire for companionship. The funds were instead spent on personal luxuries, including expensive meals, utilities, apartment rent, and luxury goods.
One victim was persuaded to send Guy $708,000 to move his money to a bank with higher interest rates. Another victim, conned by both women, sent thousands for a dressmaking business they claimed they wanted to buy in New York City.
James Smith, FBI assistant director, condemned the actions of the women. “Gina Guy and Rosanna Lisa Stanley allegedly took advantage of innocent individuals seeking companionship and exploited them for their own benefit,” he said. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who capitalize on personal connections for selfish reasons are brought to justice.”
Stanley and Guy were released on $250,000 bond each. The cases against them are currently pending, and if convicted, they face significant prison time for their alleged crimes.
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