A web of digital lies unraveled this week as a Minnesota man was sentenced for his role in a romance scam that drained the savings of a 79-year-old Florida widower.
Benjamin Yakah pleaded no contest to charges of grand theft involving an amount between $20,000 and $100,000. Following the plea, a judge ordered Yakah to serve one year in jail and four years of probation, along with a mandate to pay $31,000 in restitution to the victim.
The case first landed on the radar of the Bradenton Police Department’s Elder Fraud Unit in June 2024. The victim’s children, growing suspicious of their father’s new online romance, reached out to authorities for help.
The victim believed he was in a committed relationship with a woman named “Julia,” whom he met on Facebook in late 2023. Over eight months of messaging, “Julia” convinced the man she lived in the United Kingdom and was eager to move to the United States to start a life with him.
READ: Luxe Life On A Stolen Pension: Florida Couple Cuffed In Massive Elder Fraud Bust
However, the move was perpetually delayed by a supposed debt. The scammer claimed she needed to settle a financial obligation with a man in Minnesota before she could relocate. Trusting the story, the victim mailed cash, money orders, and cashier’s checks to addresses in Minneapolis.
Detectives eventually traced these transactions directly to Yakah. Investigation revealed that the photos of “Julia” actually belonged to a woman in West Virginia who had no idea her image was being used to facilitate a crime.
The investigation reached a turning point in November 2024 when Detective Jim Curulla traveled to Minnesota. With the help of the Bloomington Police Department, Yakah was arrested at his home. During the search of the premises, investigators uncovered evidence suggesting Yakah may have targeted additional victims in other states.
Following his arrest, Yakah was extradited to Manatee County to face the charges. While this case ended in a conviction, the Bradenton Police Department noted that the broader issue is escalating. In 2025, elder fraud cases in Bradenton alone resulted in more than $8 million in losses.
Officials continue to urge the public to be extremely cautious with online relationships, especially when a digital acquaintance begins asking for money to cover travel or debts.
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