Bitcoin Fraud Scheme Led to Major Losses
A 30-year-old Saipan woman will spend nearly six years in federal prison for a Bitcoin-related fraud scheme that targeted older women in Saipan, Guam, Washington and California.
Sze Man Yu Inos, also known as “Yuki,” received a 71-month prison sentence on April 23, 2026. Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona sentenced her in the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands after a wire fraud conviction.
The court also ordered Inos to serve three years of supervised release after prison. In addition, she must complete 100 hours of community service and pay $769,355.67 in restitution.
Prosecutors said the court also entered a criminal forfeiture personal money judgment of $684,848.34.
Prosecutors Say Inos Built Trust Before Asking for Money
According to federal prosecutors, Inos ran the scheme from November 2020 to January 2022. She allegedly targeted older women through affinity fraud, a type of scam that uses trust and personal relationships.
Authorities said Inos presented herself as wealthy and successful. She claimed she came from a rich family in China, owned several businesses and made strong profits through Bitcoin investing.
Prosecutors said she used that image to win trust. She reportedly bought victims expensive meals and gifts before asking for money.
The scheme included:
- False claims about Bitcoin investments
- Promises linked to wealth and business success
- Personal trust-building with older women
- Continued fraud after leaving the Marianas
- Additional victims in Washington and California
Crypto Investment Scams Remain a Serious Threat
The FBI said the case affected dozens of victims. Authorities also said Inos used serious deception, including forging a federal judge’s signature to support her schemes.
This case shows how cryptocurrency scams often mix personal relationships with fake investment promises. Scammers may first build trust, then push victims toward Bitcoin or other crypto opportunities that they secretly control.
U.S. Attorney Shawn N. Anderson said the sentence reflected the seriousness of the fraud and the harm caused across several jurisdictions.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth R. Backe prosecuted it.
