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Accused romance scammer swindles Sun City man out of $800K: HCSO

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Published  May 1, 2025 1:29pm EDT
Hillsborough County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • A 92-year-old Sun City man fell victim to an accused romance and bank scam, according to HCSO.
    • Investigators said the man lost more than $800,000.
    • The suspect, Otiz Swinton Jr., 37, was arrested in Orlando and was charged with fraudulent use of personal information of an elderly person, fraudulent use of personal information over $5,000 or 10 but less than 20 victims, and fraudulent use of credit card over $100.00, and five counts of uttering a forged instrument.

SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. - A 92-year-old Sun City man fell prey to a bank and romance scam that cost him more than $800,000, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. 

What we know:

In June 2022, deputies say the victim transferred thousands from his Fidelity account to his Wells Fargo account. 

According to investigators, the money was taken from this account by multiple individuals through Uphold, a cryptocurrency platform, peer-to-peer transactions, ATM withdrawals, point-of-sale transactions, and various other ways.

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Timeline:

On March 10, 2025, investigators say Otiz Swinton Jr., 37, was caught on camera at a Publix at 5265 South John Young Parkway in Orlando, using the victim's Wells Fargo card to make a purchase. From March 13, 2025, to April 2, 2025, five counterfeit checks were made payable to Swinton Jr. from the victim's Wells Fargo account, according to HCSO. The total value of those five checks was $14,300.00. During that time, various other charges were made using the victim's card, totaling more than $5,000.

Otiz Swinton Jr. mugshot courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Otiz Swinton Jr. mugshot courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

On April 30, 2025, detectives arrested Swinton Jr. in Orlando. He has been charged with fraudulent use of personal information of an elderly person, fraudulent use of personal information over $5,000 or 10 but less than 20 victims, and fraudulent use of a credit card over $100.00, and five counts of uttering a forged instrument. 

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Dig deeper:

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Swinton Jr. had previously been in Florida State Prison for fraud. Through investigative means, detectives determined Swinton Jr. had someone else withdrawing money from the victim's Wells Fargo account while he was in prison.

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What we don't know:

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office did not provide details about why it considers this to be a romance scam. 

What they're saying:

"These predatory schemes rob our residents of the security and financial stability they've spent their lives building," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "Those who deliberately prey on the elderly are the worst kinds of criminals as they exploit vulnerability, trust, and often isolation for personal gain. We will continue to pursue anyone who targets our seniors with every resource at our disposal."

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. 

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