Woman who scammed Holocaust survivor out of life savings sentenced to 4 years in prison
A Florida woman who drained an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor's life savings to fund a lavish lifestyle was sentenced to 51 months in prison, prosecutors said Thursday.
The 36-year-old woman defrauded the victim of more than $2.8 million between 2017 and late 2021, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud in April in connection with the years-long romantic scam.
"Peaches Stergo callously defrauded an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who was simply looking for companionship," Williams said. "She used the millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to live a life of luxury at the victim's expense. But she did not get away with it."
Stergo met the unnamed victim on a dating website. She claimed she needed to pay her lawyer and asked the Holocaust survivor for money. The first check the victim sent to Stergo was for $25,000, according to the indictment.
The victim wrote out 62 checks for Stergo throughout the scam, sending her around $50,000 a month. Stergo told the man if he didn't send her money, her accounts would be frozen and he would never be paid back.
While the victim lost his life savings and had to give up his apartment, the Florida woman used the money he sent her to buy a home in a gated community, a condominium, a boat and several cars, prosecutors said. She also bought gold coins and bars, jewelry, Rolex watches and designer clothing.
The man sent Stergo money until October, 2021. He confided in his son about the situation, and the son told his dad he'd been scammed.
"I am just aggravated, hurt, frustrated that I haven't made money ... I don't want to work ... it's too hard," Stergo wrote in a text after the man stopped sending money, according to prosecutors.
Over the course of the scam, Stergo told her real significant other that the Holocaust survivor had said he loved her. She followed that message up with an "lol."
During sentencing, the judge called Stergo's conduct "unspeakably cruel."
Stergo was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,830,775. She was also ordered to forfeit the home she purchased and over 100 luxury items she bought with romance scam proceeds.