This father's tragic story reveals dark reality of devastating scam: ‘It just crushed him’
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Content Warning: This article mentions suicide, which may be distressing to some readers, and names marked with asterisks (*) have been changed to protect privacy. Discretion is advised.
In an age where technology has brought the world closer together, it has also opened the door to new forms of criminal activity that can have devastating consequences.
The tragic story of a father who took his own life after losing his savings to international criminal gangs is a stark reminder of the dangers lurking behind our screens.
The father, Dennis Jones*, lived a life of positivity and activism. He spent his retirement years engaging with refugees and debating politics.
However, his life took a dark turn when he fell victim to a sophisticated online scam known as 'pig butchering’.
This term refers to the method scammers use to 'fatten up' their victims by building trust over time before defrauding them of their money.
‘As soon as I found out it was a suicide, I was 100 per cent sure that it was the scam,’ his son Matt* said.
‘Our father was, from the day I was born until six months ago, always a positive, happy person.’
‘This was literally the only thing in his life that had happened, to where it changed him and it just crushed him.’
Dennis'* descent into despair began when he befriended a woman named Jessie on social media.
Over months, she groomed him into investing his entire savings into fraudulent cryptocurrency websites. When the money vanished, so did Jessie, and Dennis* was left in financial ruin.
In early March, Dennis'* children organised a gathering to assist him in rebounding from the scam.
The plan was for him to relocate to Adrianne's home with her family to ensure he would be cared for.
‘We wanted him to know he was going to be taken care of,’ Matt* recounted.
However, on the morning of the meeting, Dennis* could not be reached.
Matt* drove to Dennis’* apartment, but he wasn't there, and all attempts to contact him went to voicemail, likely because Dennis* was out on one of his long runs.
An hour later, police arrived at Matt's* door to inform him that Dennis* had taken his own life.
This story is a chilling example of a global criminal operation predominantly run by Chinese gangs who have built a multibillion-dollar scam industry in Southeast Asia.
Victims are often lured with promises of love and financial gain, only to find themselves trapped in a web of deceit.
In 2023, Scamwatch received 484 reports of pig butchering scams targeting Australians, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Clara County Prosecutor's Office and the US Secret Service, work tirelessly to combat these crimes.
‘I’ve been a prosecutor for over 25 years, I’ve done all kinds of different types of crime — I spent nine years in sexual assault—and I’ve never seen the absolute decimation of people that I’ve seen as a result of pig butchering,’ Santa Clara County Prosecutor Erin West said.
‘We’ve got victims victimising victims, and the only winners are Chinese gangsters.’
You can watch CNN’s coverage below:
Credit: CNN / YouTube
If you or someone you know has been affected by a scam, it's crucial to report it to the authorities and seek support.
Organisations like Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 224 636) offer confidential help for those in crisis.
Have you or someone you know been targeted by similar scams? What measures do you take to safeguard your finances online? Join the conversation and share your experiences in the comments below.
In an age where technology has brought the world closer together, it has also opened the door to new forms of criminal activity that can have devastating consequences.
The tragic story of a father who took his own life after losing his savings to international criminal gangs is a stark reminder of the dangers lurking behind our screens.
The father, Dennis Jones*, lived a life of positivity and activism. He spent his retirement years engaging with refugees and debating politics.
However, his life took a dark turn when he fell victim to a sophisticated online scam known as 'pig butchering’.
This term refers to the method scammers use to 'fatten up' their victims by building trust over time before defrauding them of their money.
Dennis Jones* fell victim to a ‘pig butchering’ scam, which took a toll on his life. Credit: CNN / YouTube
‘As soon as I found out it was a suicide, I was 100 per cent sure that it was the scam,’ his son Matt* said.
‘Our father was, from the day I was born until six months ago, always a positive, happy person.’
‘This was literally the only thing in his life that had happened, to where it changed him and it just crushed him.’
Dennis'* descent into despair began when he befriended a woman named Jessie on social media.
Over months, she groomed him into investing his entire savings into fraudulent cryptocurrency websites. When the money vanished, so did Jessie, and Dennis* was left in financial ruin.
In early March, Dennis'* children organised a gathering to assist him in rebounding from the scam.
The plan was for him to relocate to Adrianne's home with her family to ensure he would be cared for.
‘We wanted him to know he was going to be taken care of,’ Matt* recounted.
However, on the morning of the meeting, Dennis* could not be reached.
Matt* drove to Dennis’* apartment, but he wasn't there, and all attempts to contact him went to voicemail, likely because Dennis* was out on one of his long runs.
An hour later, police arrived at Matt's* door to inform him that Dennis* had taken his own life.
This story is a chilling example of a global criminal operation predominantly run by Chinese gangs who have built a multibillion-dollar scam industry in Southeast Asia.
Victims are often lured with promises of love and financial gain, only to find themselves trapped in a web of deceit.
In 2023, Scamwatch received 484 reports of pig butchering scams targeting Australians, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Clara County Prosecutor's Office and the US Secret Service, work tirelessly to combat these crimes.
‘I’ve been a prosecutor for over 25 years, I’ve done all kinds of different types of crime — I spent nine years in sexual assault—and I’ve never seen the absolute decimation of people that I’ve seen as a result of pig butchering,’ Santa Clara County Prosecutor Erin West said.
‘We’ve got victims victimising victims, and the only winners are Chinese gangsters.’
You can watch CNN’s coverage below:
Credit: CNN / YouTube
If you or someone you know has been affected by a scam, it's crucial to report it to the authorities and seek support.
Organisations like Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 224 636) offer confidential help for those in crisis.
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