Psychotherapist Falls Victim to Romance Scam, Drains a Trust Benefitting His Patient for 'Investments'

According to a U.S. Department of Justice announcement, Newton, Massachusetts-based psychotherapist Eric Brown faces charges for defrauding two victims and has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of illegal money transactions.

Court documents revealed that in February 2022, Brown was asked by a patient to manage a trust fund holding over $700,000. The patient had injured in a drunk-driving accident, and the trust contained compensation received from that incident.

As trustee, Brown held complete control over the money and was legally obligated to use it for the client's health, support, and maintenance. However, Brown allegedly lost most of the trust after falling victim to an online romance scam.

It is reported that he developed a romantic relationship with the scammer online and, following the scammer's instructions, invested over $600,000 overseas without acknowledging the patient, ultimately depleting the funds.

Furthermore, Brown allegedly defrauded another $310,000 from a family member under the pretext of constructing a commercial office building.

BrokersView reminds you

Romance scams often appear with investment scams or other forms of fraud, leaving the victim to suffer great financial loss as well as great psychological stress.

To avoid becoming a victim of such scams, investors are advised to carefully check the regulatory status of the online trading platform and avoid dealing with unlicensed brokers before conducting transactions.