Two “callous” con artists, Rosanna Lisa Stanley, 48, and Gina Guy, 37, have been charged with defrauding at least 16 lonely elderly men out of more than $7 million in a long-running romance scam, according to Manhattan federal prosecutors.
The women allegedly entrapped their victims with elaborate stories about needing kidney and liver transplants, convincing them to invest in fake business ventures. This romance scam reportedly spanned from 2009 until their arrests last month.
The scammers connected with their victims through in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, and online dating platforms. One victim handed Stanley over $1 million after she claimed his money was “tainted with bad influences” and promised to return it cleansed. The man wired money transfers and issued checks to her purported astrology business in Manhattan from 2009 to 2020, believing she could help him achieve his aspirations.
Another victim, who believed he was in an exclusive relationship with Stanley after meeting her in February 2023, ended up paying her rent and living expenses. He also turned over his online banking credentials at her request. Stanley allegedly changed the victim’s password, refused to share it, and then accrued “thousands of dollars in expenses.” She also conned him into funding a fake Florida catering business, ultimately swindling him out of at least $555,000, using $220,000 for loans on a luxury car and a boat.
Guy, who is accused of scamming at least four men out of over $900,000, often claimed to need money for kidney transplants, tugging at the heartstrings of her victims.
Stanley, with residences on the Upper East Side, New Jersey, and Florida, was arrested on June 25 in Miami Beach. Guy was captured that same day in New York City. Both women face charges of money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy, and were released on $250,000 bond each, with the case still pending.
“Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy callously defrauded elderly victims who were simply seeking companionship. They allegedly used millions in fraud proceeds to lead lives of luxury at their victims’ expense,” stated Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
