Florida Woman Who Stole Nearly $3 Million From Holocaust Survivor Gets Over 4 Years in Prison

A Florida woman who, while pretending to be her love interest, used an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor’s life savings to purchase a luxurious lifestyle and was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in jail. TORONTOSUN.

An 87-year-old Holocaust survivor’s life savings were stolen by a Florida lady who pretended to be a love interest. She subsequently lived lavishly off the $2.8 million she received. She was given a sentence of more than four years in jail. (PHOTO: REP-AM.COM)

Florida Woman

U.S. authorities described Peaches Stergo, 36, of Champions Gate, Florida. As he read the punishment in federal court in Manhattan, district judge Edgardo Ramos referred to it as “unspeakably cruel” and driven by avarice.

Stergo pled guilty to wire fraud in April, saying that she had stolen a man’s life savings who she had met seven years earlier on a dating website. When given the chance to speak, Stergo stated, “I’m sorry.” NBCNEWS 

In May 2017, according to the prosecution, Stergo started requesting money from the once-rich businessman, saying she needed it to pay a lawyer who was holding up the payment from a phony injury settlement. He gave her $25,000 in payment. She lied to the guy over the course of the following four years to convince him to make 62 checks totalling more than $2.8 million until he was bankrupt, they said.

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Stealing Nearly $3 Million From Holocaust Survivor, Makes Florida Woman Jailed for over 4 years

Prosecutors allege that she told frightened tales and made up letters from bank employees to support her allegations and managed to convince him to contribute as much as $50,000 at a time.

According to them, Stergo went to New York to see the victim in his Manhattan apartment while pretending she was a Florida nanny with the name “Alice” and failed to disclose that she was in a committed relationship with another guy and had two children.

Stergo used the victim’s money to live a life of luxury while he lost his life savings and had to give up his apartment, according to the prosecution. She was accused of using her boat, many cars, including a Corvette and a Suburban, as well as expensive trips to Europe and Las Vegas.

They said she spent the majority of the man’s funds, including thousands of dollars on upscale dining, gold bars and coins, jewelry, Rolex watches, and luxury apparel. She must pay $2.8 in restitution and forfeiture as part of her punishment.

When Stergo informed her victim that the victim had sent her a message saying he “loved” her, the prosecution claimed that Stergo had made fun of her victim. When he ran out of cash, they said she persuaded him to sell his collection of jewels and take out loans from others. They also claimed she followed that message with “lol.” RA.

Stergo’s attorney, Ann Marie Fitz, stated in a submission for sentence that Stergo is a partner to her long-term boyfriend and the mother of two teenage sons. Her boyfriend also stated that she is a born-again Christian and a wonderful mother.

“She is not the cold-hearted person the government and media have made her out to be,” the lawyer wrote.  NBCNEWS. “There was a genuine, caring relationship that Ms. Stergo had with the victim in this case — she spent holidays with him, she took care of him when he was ill and, as the victim’s cousin described, she was ‘doting’ on him.”

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