Two Suspects Arrested in $480K Email Scam Targeting Florida Woman
Two suspects are behind bars after allegedly scamming a 61-year-old Volusia County woman out of more than $480,000 through a fraudulent wire transfer scheme.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO), the victim believed she was sending a payment of $487,350 to her accountant. However, the email account she used had been compromised by scammers, leading to the massive financial loss.
An investigation by the VCSO’s financial crimes unit identified two suspects: 56-year-old Jason Hellawell and 33-year-old Ariel Wang.
Hellawell was arrested in his home state of California, while Wang surrendered to authorities in Volusia County on Monday, July 21.
Both individuals face charges of money laundering and grand theft over $100,000. In addition, Wang is also charged with an organized scheme to defraud.
The sheriff’s office added that further charges may be filed as investigations continue across multiple jurisdictions.
