Man sentenced in Wichita "Romance Scam"

A New York man was sentenced in Sedgwick County District Court for his role in a “romance scam” that defrauded an elderly Wichita woman of more than $100,000.

Jango Touray, 35 of New York City, pled guilty earlier this year to the felony crime of Mistreatment of an Elder Person. Touray was placed on a three-year probation and ordered to pay full restitution to his victim. If Touray violates his probation or fails to pay restitution, he could serve the 34-month prison sentence imposed by District Court Judge Jeffrey Syrios.

Touray was identified during an investigation by the District Attorney’s office as the person who received a $110,000 check from the woman, 78, who was widowed and lived alone. The investigation revealed that the woman was being contacted through social media in late 2020 by someone asking for money. The woman believed that she was sending the money to a person named “Victor.”

The woman told investigators that she believed she was helping “Victor” through some financial difficulties so that they could be together someday. As part of the investigation, a financial crimes investigator was able to freeze multiple financial accounts connected to Touray, who agreed to liquidate those accounts and give the money back to the woman. So far, she has recovered about $38,000 of the $110,000 that was taken. The balance of the restitution is to be paid in payments over the next three years.

The District Attorney’s office warns people to be suspicious of requests for money from people they meet online. Elderly residents who live alone can be especially vulnerable to sophisticated romance scammers that use the internet to find, befriend and defraud their victims.