SANTA ANA, Calif. (Gray News) – A man in California was arrested for allegedly using dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and Bumble to swindle his ‘matches’ out of more than $2 million, according to authorities.
Christopher Earl Lloyd, 39, was charged with 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from the fraud.
According to the indictment, from April 2021 to February 2024, Lloyd used dating apps and websites to befriend and engage in romantic relationships with his victims.
Lloyd allegedly lied to his victims to give them the impression that he was financially successful and knowledgeable about investments.
Lloyd told the victims that he had closed on multiple properties, that he had been a financial manager for years, that he was the vice president of a company called Planet 13 Holdings, and that he worked for an investment company called Landmark Associates.
However, none of that was true.
Lloyd’s victims allegedly provided money and property to him, including in the form of purported investments, after he told them he knew of investment opportunities that would benefit them.
He also told his victims that he would invest their money, that they would receive regular returns on these investments, and that they could withdraw these investments at any time.
However, he used the victims’ money for his own personal benefit. For example, in May 2023, Lloyd allegedly withdrew $40,000 in funds a victim sent him to write a check to a Lexus car dealership in Mission Viejo.
In total, Lloyd caused his victims to suffer more than $2 million in losses.
If convicted, Lloyd would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years in federal prison for the monetary transaction count.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
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