A Margate man is under arrest as part of a scheme to defraud people out of tens of thousands of dollars.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Colin L. Ansby, 25, of 225 NW 79th Terrace for one count each of scheme to defraud over $50,000, grand theft over $100,000, and grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000.
Ansby was the recipient of the proceeds of an elaborate scheme to defraud victims in Florida and Pennsylvania. The scheme, known as a business email compromise, used compromised email accounts to convince the victims to wire transfer money which they believed was for legitimate business purposes.
A victim in Lee County believed that she was communicating via email with her real estate attorney, and wire transferred over $100,000 for a real estate purchase. A victim in Pennsylvania believed that she received an email from a superior directing her to wire transfer over $20,000 for the purchase of clothing.
Ansby was booked into the Broward County Jail. He will be prosecuted by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, Ft. Myers.
(Photo by Joe Raedle)