Bitcoin fraud claims led to a federal prison sentence for Sze Man Yu Inos. The case highlights how personal trust and false investment promises can expose older victims to major losses.
Key Takeaways:
- Inos received prison time after prosecutors described false bitcoin investment claims.
- Saipan victims faced wider financial harm as the scheme expanded geographically.
- Federal prosecutors framed the case as a warning about affinity fraud.
Bitcoin Fraud Sentence Shows Elder Victim Losses
A fraud scheme built on false bitcoin investment claims and personal trust ended April 23, 2026, with a 71-month federal prison sentence for Sze Man Yu Inos, also known as Yuki. Prosecutors said Inos targeted older women, gained their confidence, and used false claims about wealth, business success, and investing to obtain money.
Inos, 30, was sentenced by Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona in the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, after a wire fraud conviction. The court also ordered three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, $769,355.67 in restitution, and a mandatory $200 special assessment. A separate criminal forfeiture money judgment was entered for $684,848.34. Prosecutors said Inos approached older women in Saipan and Guam from November 2020 through January 2022. She claimed she came from a wealthy family in China, owned multiple businesses, and had made money through bitcoin investing.
U.S. Attorney Shawn N. Anderson warned:
“Criminals engaged in affinity fraud prey on our willingness to trust others.”
Prosecutors said she used expensive meals, gifts, and personal stories to build trust before asking for money. The scheme later reached additional victims in Washington and California.
Federal Prosecutors Detail Trust-Based Investment Scheme
The case centered on relationships that prosecutors said were used to create financial access. Inos befriended older women, described personal problems that were not real, and made victims feel emotionally important to her. She often told them, “You are like my mom.” After gaining confidence, prosecutors said she requested money and solicited bitcoin investments based on false pretenses. The conduct did not stop after she left the Marianas, according to prosecutors. The FBI also said Inos forged a federal judge’s signature to facilitate her schemes. FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter said her actions showed contempt for both the victims and the rule of law.
The sentence leaves Inos facing prison time, supervision, community service, and major financial penalties connected to the losses. Anderson said she targeted older women across multiple jurisdictions and continued her scams while the case was pending. Porter said the conduct caused financial harm across several states and affected dozens of innocent victims. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth R. Backe for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. Prosecutors framed the case as a warning about how personal trust can be used to support false investment claims.
