A woman from Saipan has been sentenced to 71 months in prison after orchestrating a fraudulent investment scheme involving Bitcoin, which targeted elderly individuals across several states. Sze Man Yu Inos, also known as ‘Yuki,’ allegedly deceived older women on U.S. territories such as Saipan and Guam between November 2020 and January 2022 by falsely claiming to be part of a wealthy Chinese family with successful business ventures in Bitcoin investments, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors noted that the 30-year-old fraudster went so far as to forge a federal judge’s signature to further her deceptive activities. The court has ordered Inos to pay $769,355.67 in restitution and imposed a criminal forfeiture of $684,848.34 on her. Despite leaving the Marianas region, she continued defrauding individuals in Washington and California while awaiting trial.
FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter remarked that Inos’s actions resulted in significant financial damage to many victims across multiple states, highlighting her disregard for both those she exploited and legal standards by forging a judge’s signature. The FBI remains dedicated to safeguarding citizens from such predatory criminals, Porter emphasized.
Porter underscored the deliberate targeting of vulnerable elderly individuals through fictitious narratives about cryptocurrency gains. Additional penalties include three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, and a $200 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Shawn Anderson condemned Inos’s exploitation of trust across different jurisdictions, leading to notable financial losses. He noted that her fraudulent activities persisted even as her case was ongoing, justifying the court’s decision on sentencing.