Priscilla Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to theft and criminal exploitation of an at-risk adult after a 90-year-old Centennial man gave her $40,000, according to the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office.
The plea agreement requires Johnson to repay the money with interest and complete 60 hours of public service. It does not include jail or prison time, according to Sentinel Colorado.
What investigators said happened
According to the county, Johnson met the man at a grocery store in July 2025 and introduced herself as Elizabeth John. She said her fiancé had died in a vehicle crash. After learning that the man was a widower, she exchanged telephone numbers with him.
The man first gave Johnson $6,000 after she said her belongings had been stolen and she needed money to replace them, the county said. She later said she had cancer and needed treatment. He withdrew another $34,000 from two bank accounts and gave it to her in cash, according to the county's account.
The national picture
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that 6,740 people over 60 experienced almost $357 million in losses to confidence/romance scams in 2023, a category that also includes grandparent scams, according to the FBI.
Johnson later asked for additional financial help. When the man said he wanted to discuss the request with his family, she stopped communicating with him, the county said.
How the case was developed
The man's son contacted the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office after becoming concerned about the transfers. Investigators linked the telephone number used to contact the man to Johnson, although he knew her by another name. The man later identified Johnson in a photo lineup, according to the county.
The district attorney's office advises people to pause before giving money to someone they recently met, particularly when a request involves a large amount of cash or urgency. It also recommends consulting someone trusted and contacting law enforcement and a financial institution if fraud is suspected, according to the county guidance.
