Virginia Granny Faces Federal Battle After Losing $2M in Romance Scam

A grandmother in Virginia is facing a huge financial loss after falling victim to a romance scam that cost her $2 million. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is now demanding that Cynthia Concordia repay $378,000 to Signature Bank, where the money was lost. Despite the FDIC’s claims, Concordia argues that she is just as much a victim in this situation.

The whole ordeal began in November 2019 when Cynthia, a retired World Bank analyst, received a message on LinkedIn from someone claiming to be Mason Brown Thuthill, an employee of the popular cryptocurrency platform Blockchain. This person, later identified as Brian Haugen, an actor from Los Angeles, promised to double her investments quickly and urged her to invest. Cynthia, struggling to pay her son’s college tuition and wanting to secure her family’s future, eventually agreed and handed over $700.

Haugen, the actor whose identity was stolen for the scam, is also a victim in this situation. Thousands of scammers have taken his image and used it to target older women online in various romance scams. The elaborate con was even featured in a 2025 documentary called “Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam” by ABC News Studios.

The scammer posing as Haugen contacted Cynthia daily, engaging in lengthy phone calls and emotional manipulation. Despite her requests for a video or in-person meeting, he always made excuses, citing company policy against engaging with clients in that manner. Cynthia felt manipulated and convinced by his declarations of love and care for her, leading her to invest more money.

Now, after two years of battling with the feds over the lost funds, Cynthia Concordia finds herself in a difficult and financially burdensome situation. The case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of online romance scams and the importance of staying vigilant and questioning suspicious requests or promises.