(TheIndependentStar.com) – A disturbing trend was busted in Florida as authorities arrested a local man for impersonating Elon Musk on Facebook.
Jeffrey Moynihan Jr. used Musk’s likeness to target and manipulate a 74-year-old Texas woman into sending him nearly $600,000.
This unfortunate incident highlights the growing problem of scams using Musk’s identity across the globe.
Posing as Musk, Moynihan promised the elderly woman huge investment returns from fake business ventures.
Moynihan convinced the victim to invest around $600,000 using fake updates and real Musk news.
During the months-long plot, the victim believed she was talking directly to Musk and was assured she would eventually receive $55 million on her investment.
Authorities traced about $300,000 to Moynihan’s accounts in Bradenton, but much remains undiscovered.
A police department spokesperson remarked, “The victim was convinced she had, in fact, invested her money with Elon Musk.”
Investigators say Moynihan manipulated the victim by using Musk’s social media content to make his deception look real.
Bradenton police arrested Moynihan in coordination with Frisco, Texas, authorities after the victim’s family reported the scam.
Moynihan publicly claimed he did not know he was committing fraud, suggesting he was just a puppet in a broader scheme an alleged girlfriend masterminded.
“There are clearly other people that are involved in this case,” noted Detective Jim Curulla.
Curulla pointed to the potential depth and complexity of the criminal network engaged in similar scams around the world.
Meanwhile, the real Elon Musk continues his important work as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to helm the proposed Department of Government Efficiency.
Authorities remain focused on exposing the full extent of these digital crimes and recovering what they can of the victim’s financial losses.
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