A California man is accused of defrauding individuals out of $2 million through well-known dating apps.

California Man Charged in Dating App Scam

A man from California, Christopher Earl Lloyd, 39, has been charged with scamming over $2 million through dating apps. He allegedly posed as a successful and investment-savvy individual, according to prosecutors.

Lloyd is facing 14 federal charges tied to a scheme that goes back nearly three years, involving popular apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

The indictment details that between April 2, 2021, and July 2, 2024, Lloyd used these platforms to develop friendships with victims, eventually leading to romantic relationships.

He persuaded his victims to send him money by claiming to have lucrative investment opportunities. He assured them that their investments would yield regular returns and could be withdrawn at any time.

Interestingly, prosecutors noted that Lloyd used the funds for personal gain rather than investments. For instance, in May 2023, he allegedly took $40,000 from a victim to pay for a Lexus at a car dealership in Mission Viejo.

He also misled victims by stating he had extensive experience in finance, falsely claiming to be a finance manager, a vice president at a company called Planet 13 Holdings, and affiliated with an investment firm named Landmark Associates. None of these claims were true, according to legal sources.

Lloyd backed his assertions with signed contracts that outlined the alleged investments and promised returns, specifying methods for sending money, including wire transfers and cash apps.

He faces 13 counts of wire fraud and one count for engaging in financial transactions derived from the fraud. If convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years for each wire fraud count, plus up to 10 years for the financial transactions.