Castle rock woman jailed for $3.5 million role in romance scam

Lori Ann Kimball, 52, of Castle Rock, Colorado, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for her role in a $3.5 million romance scam involving cryptocurrency and over a dozen victims.

Kimball's misplaced trust led to prison term

Kimball, who was recently widowed, met the scammer, using the alias 'Joe Hart,' on a dating app in early 2022. Despite his claim to be working on an offshore oil rig, Hart soon asked for financial help, which Kimball provided. Unbeknownst to her, Hart was actually a Nigerian national and member of a 'pig butchering' conspiracy.

Over the next two years, Kimball laundered nearly $3.5 million in illicit funds from at least 15 other victims through her own bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets. Despite numerous warnings from friends, law enforcement, and banks, Kimball continued to facilitate the scam, even opening new accounts to obscure her activities.

In her plea agreement, Kimball admitted to deliberately ignoring the warnings and lying to banks about the source of the funds. She also acknowledged using a small portion of the money for personal expenses and gifts to family members.

Kimball's sentence includes repayment of $3,112,990 to the scam victims. Her one-year prison term, plus a 15-day reporting period, is expected to be served in a Phoenix facility.