Montgomery County, Maryland — A Maryland jury has convicted a woman accused of defrauding a man she met through a dating app, concluding a case in which prosecutors said the victim lost more than $400,000 after trusting promises of profitable investments.
Authorities said the case began in 2019 after the man met 72-year-old JaNay Sears, who also uses the name JaNay St. Clair, through a dating app. What initially appeared to be the start of a relationship eventually turned into a sophisticated financial scam, according to prosecutors.
Dating App Meeting Led to Financial Trust
Court records show the victim, who was about 50 years old and worked for the federal government, invited Sears to live with him shortly after their first meeting.
According to prosecutors, Sears presented herself as a successful business executive with an impressive educational and professional background…