US Mother and daughter charged in Nigerian internet romance scam

A
Colorado mother and daughter are accused in an internet dating scam
spanning 40 countries, in which fake soldiers started relationships
with women, then asked them for money, CBS Denver reported. The victims were allegedly cheated out of more than $1 million.

An indictment from the Colorado Attorney General accuses Tracy and
Karen Vasseur of Adams County of being part of a “Nigerian internet
romance scam” involving people pretending to be military members
serving in Afghanistan.

Tracy, 41, and her mother, Karen, 73, live in Brighton. They allegedly
tricked women into relationships and accepted payments via wire over a
three-year period.

Prosecutors said six of their victims live in Colorado. Investigators
believe there are 374 victims in all, from 41 countries including the
United States, CBS Denver reported.

The indictment claims the mother-and-daughter scammers took a
percentage of the stolen money and then wired the remaining money to
associates in Nigeria.

They allegedly established 20 personal and business bank accounts at 11
local banks for the purposes of laundering stolen money. The business
was listed under the name A-Team Distributions Inc. and KKJ Services.

As part of the scheme, Tracy also allegedly used her own 16-year-old
daughter to fraudulently receive stolen money and then wire it to
Nigeria.

According to CBS Denver, Tracy Vasseur faces up to 205 years in prison
if convicted on all counts, and her mother faces up to 172 years behind
bars.

Source: CBS News