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| Female inmates indicted in pen-pal romance scam |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 09/20/2004 |
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Ten female inmates in Pennsylvania jails and prisons have been indicted on charges they bilked more than 300 pen-pals -- mostly men -- out of thousands of dollars by lying to them and promising long-term relationships. Don Hart, one of the alleged victims, said he had been looking for friendship when he subscribed to the pen-pal service. He was contacted by Yvette Stewart, an inmate at the prison in Cambridge Springs serving out her sentence on third-degree murder charges. Stewart was among the women indicted Thursday. At first the two sent each other letters and photos, said Hart, of Columbia City, Ind. Then, he said, she asked for money. ''I thought there was a slight possibility that this wasn't safe, but never thought it was a 'scam,''' Hart said Friday. According to the indictments, the women placed personal ads in magazines and on Web sites. When the men responded, the women often sent phony photos and told them they were to be released from prison soon, the indictments alleged. Alleged victims, bilked out of nearly $260,000, were from around the nation, including Illinois. |
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