Whittier, California – A Whittier man is facing federal charges after allegedly using dating apps to carry out an elaborate romance and investment fraud scheme that authorities say cost victims more than $2 million.
Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday that 39-year-old Christopher Earl Lloyd was arrested on a 14-count indictment accusing him of exploiting online dating platforms—including Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble—to gain the trust of his victims and solicit large sums of money under false pretenses.
Lloyd made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, where he was arraigned on 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction involving criminally derived property. If convicted, he could face decades in federal prison…