Otiz Swinton Jr., 37, was arrested in Orlando and charged again with multiple counts of fraud. Hillsborough County investigators say he pretended to be a woman.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A 92-year-old Tampa Bay-area man has lost over $800,000 in an elaborate romance and bank scam allegedly orchestrated by a repeat offender now behind bars. Law enforcement officials are warning that others could also be at risk.
Otiz Swinton Jr., 37, was arrested in Orlando and charged again with multiple counts of fraud. Investigators with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office say he targeted the elderly man online, pretending to be a woman in a romantic relationship, then gradually gained access to his financial accounts.
“A 92-year-old elderly man was targeted, manipulated, and robbed of his life savings by a career criminal who really used technology and deceit to take everything from this man,” said Amanda Granit, spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say the scam began with online chats and later phone texts that appeared to be part of a budding romance. Swinton, pretending to be a woman, convinced the victim to transfer funds from his investment account to one the suspect controlled.
“Posing as a woman, and then it turned into a bank scam where he convinced this elderly gentleman to transfer funds from his investment account to a bank account that the scammer had access to,” Granit said.
Officials estimate that more than $800,000 was drained from the victim’s accounts through various fraudulent means, including forged checks, unauthorized use of ATM and credit cards, cryptocurrency transactions and identity theft. Investigators traced the earliest activity in the case back to June 2022.
This is not Swinton Jr.’s first brush with the law. Authorities say he was released from prison just this past March after serving time for similar crimes.
“He actually just got out of prison in March for similar crimes. He defrauded over 50 people of $1 million in the Sun City area also and he has spent seven years in prison for all of this, and he was up to the same old criminal behavior,” Granit added.
In a previous scheme, Swinton allegedly posed as a pickup and delivery driver, going door to door claiming to collect compromised bank cards from seniors, saying their cards had been flagged for fraud.
Officials warn that elderly individuals, especially those who live alone or lack regular contact with family or close friends, are particularly vulnerable to scams like these.
To help prevent future incidents, local organizations are encouraging seniors to stay socially engaged and reach out when something seems suspicious.
“Older adults can get lonely, can get isolated, and can get depressed. These are some centers that help get older adults out of their apartments and out of their homes, interacting with other friends and developing relationships, and that is key to keeping safe,” Brian Taylor, of the Oaks Senior Center in Hillsborough County, said.
Taylor urges seniors not to be rushed into decisions, especially when dealing with unfamiliar people.
“Run things by your loved ones or someone you already trust. If it sounds too good to be true, that adage really is pretty much accurate — it probably is too good to be true,” he said.
Granit emphasized that no one should ever be given access to your bank account without proper safeguards.
“There’s no one you should be transferring money to like that and giving access to your account. Anytime you’re giving away control, you could potentially be falling victim to a scam,” Granit said.
Swinton now faces several charges, including:
- Fraudulent use of personal information of an elderly person
- Fraudulent use of personal information over $5,000
- Fraudulent use of a credit card over $100
- Five counts of uttering a forged instrument
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office believes there may be additional victims, particularly in the Sun City Center area, and is asking anyone who may recognize Swinton or suspect they’ve been targeted to come forward.
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