Woman arrested for posing as a man to bilk elderly victims out of $1.5 million in romance con

A Pawnee, Oklahoma, woman was arrested this week, accused of posing as a man under multiple aliases and scamming four out-of-state elderly women out of $1.5 million.

The victims, ages 64 to 79, thought they were in a romantic relationship and sent money in the form of Apple gift cards, cash, cashier’s checks and wire transfers. The person at the other end, however, was Christine Joan Echohawk, 53, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement.

Alleged aliases used by Ms. Echohawk included “Edward Lotts,” to whom one of the victims sent over $600,000. The victim sent the money so that “Lotts” could pay off a debt, receive $2 million, and have the victim move in with him, according to an affidavit.

That victim, whose name was redacted, sold her house to raise the money.

Another alleged alias was “Jason Morris.” One victim sent over $100,000, starting in October 2024, for supplies and fuel for an oil tanker based in Turkey.

Another sent over $200,000 that was supposed to be used on fuel for a stranded oil tanker in Alaska loaded up with 700,000 barrels of oil. After the tanker returned, the victim thought she would move in with “Morris.”

Ms. Echohawk is also accused of posing as “Glenn Goadard” and telling a victim that she had known him since college. The victim sent $250,000 for expenses related to a supposed financial portfolio he was sending her from Syria.

Ms. Echohawk is also accused of telling victims to lie to banks that put a hold on the transfer of funds after they suspected senior fraud.

Ms. Echohawk allegedly laundered the proceeds through various accounts into cryptocurrency, which she then sent to “Maurice Dinero,” which authorities believe is another alias.

The charges include four counts of laundering unlawful proceeds and one count of using a computer to violate Oklahoma statutes. If convicted, Ms. Echohawk faces between 24 and 62 years in prison and fines of up to $260,000.

“These types of scams that target seniors are especially egregious. I applaud the work of my Consumer Protection Unit to fight for these victims and to hold accountable their alleged perpetrator,” Mr. Drummond said.