Woman pleads guilty to scamming Holocaust survivor out of his life savings

A Florida woman drained an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor's life savings to fund her luxurious lifestyle, prosecutors said Friday. 

Peaches Stergo, 36, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with the years-long romance scam, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. She defrauded the victim of more than $2.8 billion between 2017 and late 2021.

"This conduct is sick – and sad," Williams said. "Using the millions in fraud proceeds, Stergo lived a life of luxury, purchasing a home in a gated community and a Corvette, taking vacations at hotels like the Ritz Carlton, and buying thousands in designer clothing, while at the same time causing her elderly victim to lose his apartment."