MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Police said Minnesota man accused of romance scamming a 79-year-old Bradenton widower has been convicted.
The Bradenton Police Department (BPD) announced on April 15 that Benjamin Yakah has been convicted of grand theft and must pay the widower $31,000 in restitution.
BPD said the investigation launched in June 2024, when the widower's children contacted BPD's Elder Fraud Unit, with concerns about their father's reported online romance with a woman named "Julia," whom he met on Facebook in late 2023.
According to BPD's report, the widower communicated with "Julia" on Facebook Messenger for over eight months.
Police said the widower became convinced "Julia" lived in the United Kingdom, as well as "Julia" was moving to the United States to begin a relationship with him.
As part of the scam, police said "Julia" claimed she owed money to a Minnesota man. And she would move to Florida after paying off the debt to the man.
Police said the widower sent cash, money orders, and cashier's checks to a home and a bank in Minneapolis in order to speed up the moving process.
Detectives then tracked the bank account and home address to Yakah, who they believe was using the image of "Julia" that belonged to a West Virginia woman, without her knowledge or permission.
In November 2024, police apprehended Yakah. In a subsequent search of Yakah's home, detectives learned there were additional victims in other states.
Yakah was extradited to Manatee County.
In early April of this year, he pleaded no contest to grand theft, a second-degree felony.
Yakah was sentenced to one year in jail, four years of probation.
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