Florida woman swindles Holocaust survivor out of $2,8 million

Florida resident Peaches Stergo court for the Southern District of New York sentenced to 51 months in prison for her years-long scheme to deceive an 87-year-old man who survived the Holocaust. The scammer defrauded the victim of $2,8 million.

Photo: IStock

From at least May 2017 until approximately October 2021, 36-year-old Peaches Stergo cruelly deceived an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. He was simply looking for companionship, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. She used his savings - millions of dollars fraudulently obtained from him - to live a luxurious life at the expense of a gullible victim.

Fraud scheme

Stergo met a man on a dating site about seven years ago. In early 2017, she asked the victim to lend her money for a lawyer who she claimed was refusing to issue injury compensation funds.

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When the man gave her the money, Stergo informed him that the funds for the settlement had been transferred to her TD Bank account. In fact, bank records show that Stergo never received any compensation.

For the next four and a half years, the fraudster continued to lie. She repeatedly demanded that the man deposit money into her bank accounts.

Stergo claimed that if he didn't, her accounts would be frozen and he would never get his money back. In total, the man wrote 62 checks totaling more than $2,8 million.

Stergo created a fake email account that was supposed to look like it belonged to a TD Bank employee. She created fake letters from a TD Bank employee and fake invoices.

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Stergo called the man's deception her "business". She once wrote to her real soulmate that the victim of the deception "loves" her. According to the fraudster, successfully manipulating the emotions of the deceived was fun for her. At the end of her post, Stergo put a laughing emoji. In addition, she wrote that the deceived man "broke", so "she has nothing more to lure."

But when the man stopped sending money, Stergo became upset. And not because she felt sorry for the man or was tormented by remorse, but because she did not want to get a job. Stergo preferred to be a fraud. She admitted as much in the message: “I’m just sad and upset that I didn’t make more money. I don’t want to work - it’s too difficult.”

While the deceived man lost his savings and was forced to give up his apartment, the scammer lived in luxury on the millions she scammed. She bought a house in a gated community, a condominium, a boat and many cars, including a Corvette and a Suburban. In the course of the scam, Stergo made expensive trips, staying at places like the Ritz Carlton. She spent tens of thousands of dollars on expensive food, gold coins and bars, jewelry, Rolex watches, and designer clothes from stores like Tiffany, Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes.

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In handing down today's verdict, Judge Ramos noted that Stergo's behavior was "unspeakably cruel" and motivated by "greed."

In addition to his prison sentence, Stergo was given a three-year suspended sentence. She must pay compensation to the victim in the amount of $2. She is confiscated this amount, including a house she bought in a gated community, more than 830 luxury items, Rolex watches, designer purses and clothes, as well as a large amount of gold and jewelry that She purchased with money obtained fraudulently.

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