BRADENTON, Fla. — A Minnesota man arrested in connection with a romance scam targeting an elderly Florida resident has been convicted and ordered to pay restitution, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
Benjamin Yakah was sentenced after pleading no contest to grand theft involving between $20,000 and $100,000. A judge ordered him to serve one year in jail, followed by four years of probation, and to pay $31,000 in restitution to a 79-year-old Bradenton widower.
The investigation began in June 2024 when the victim’s children contacted the department’s Elder Fraud Unit with concerns about their father’s online relationship with a woman named “Julia,” whom he met on Facebook in late 2023.
Over the course of eight months, the victim communicated with “Julia” through Facebook Messenger and was led to believe she lived in the United Kingdom and planned to move to the United States to be with him. The suspect claimed she needed money to settle a debt with a man in Minnesota before relocating.
Authorities said the victim sent cash, money orders, and cashier’s checks to addresses in Minneapolis.
Detectives traced the financial transactions to Yakah and determined the photos used in the scam belonged to a woman in West Virginia who was unaware her identity had been stolen.
In November 2024, Detective Jim Curulla traveled to Minnesota, where Yakah was arrested with assistance from the Bloomington Police Department. A search of his home suggested there may be additional victims in other states.
Yakah was extradited to Manatee County, where he later entered his plea.
Police said romance scams remain one of the most common forms of fraud, particularly targeting senior citizens. In 2025 alone, elder fraud cases investigated by the Bradenton Police Department accounted for more than $8 million in losses.
Officials encourage residents to remain cautious when engaging in online relationships and to report suspicious activity.