Elderly Man Gave $1 Million to Scammer He Thought Was WWE Star Alexa Bliss

Alfred Mancinelli is a 79-year-old man who lost nearly all his retirement savings to a romance scam wherein the scammer posed as WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss, among others. All told, the scammer whittled his retirement savings down from nearly $1 million to nothing.

Chris, Alfred’s son, told The New York Times that during the height of the pandemic, his dad became severely isolated and susceptible to manipulation. Scammers swooped in and took full advantage.

This scammer didn’t just use the name and image of WWE wrestler Alexa Bliss, they strung Alfred along in an online “relationship” for years. For all Alfred knew, he was talking to the actual Alexa Bliss, who had, for some reason, reached out to him, specifically, to spill her guts in long conversations in which she opened up about her hardships, medical emergencies, and mistreatment by former WWE CEO Vince McMahon.

When “Alexa” asked for money, Alfred would willingly give it to “her.” Chris tried his best to intervene. When his dad’s account shrank to the hundred thousand dollar range, Chris moved the money to a safer account. Sadly, his dad responded with a lawsuit to regain access to his money. Once he did, Alfred again willingly gave his money to “Alexa” until it was all gone.

Romance scammers often target wealthy elderly folks in mental decline since they have trouble with logistical reasoning and separating fact from fiction. Many are lonely and in desperate need of security and companionship, and the scammers provide it to them under the guise of a loving long-distance relationship that’s actually a thinly veiled ruse to take them for everything they’ve got.