A 70-year-old Milwaukee woman, Evelyn Cross-Beacham, is facing multiple felony charges in connection with a nationwide tech support scam that defrauded seniors out of more than half a million dollars. Prosecutors charged her Tuesday with conspiracy to commit money laundering and mail fraud. Authorities have issued a warrant for her arrest.
Cross-Beacham had previously pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023 but allegedly continued the same fraudulent scheme while out on bail. She and her accomplices targeted older adults, convincing them through pop-ups, emails, and phone calls that their computers had problems requiring costly fixes.
Victims, all aged 65 and older across six states, were duped into mailing cashier’s checks, often for tens of thousands of dollars, to Cross-Beacham’s mailbox. She cashed these checks at banks in Milwaukee and Wauwatosa and rapidly moved the funds, with some deposits made via Bitcoin kiosks.
When questioned, Cross-Beacham claimed she received calls asking if she wanted to work from home by cashing and depositing checks, keeping a portion of the money. Investigators believe she was part of a larger criminal network exploiting the elderly, some victims losing their entire life savings.
If convicted, Cross-Beacham faces up to 24 years in prison.
