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Glenda Seim, Convicted Money Mule!
An 81-Year-Old Kirkwood Woman Pleaded Guilty To Being A “Money Mule” For An Online Scammer
81-year-old Kirkwood, Missouri woman pleads guilty to being “money mule”
An 81-year-old Kirkwood woman pleaded guilty to being a “money mule” for an online scammer.
Glenda Seim made the plea to U. S. District Court Judge Stephen Clark on November 2 for two counts of identity theft.
In a release from the Department of Justice, Eastern District of Missouri, a “money mule” is described as a person who receives stolen money and merchandise for a scammer and then sends the proceeds to the scammer.
In 2014, Seim started an online relationship with a person who claimed to be an American citizen with business interests in Nigeria. The scammer would ask her to send him money for what he claimed were fees, taxes, and penalties for the Nigerian government or business associates.
Seim also began sending him her Social Security retirement benefits and pension.
The scammer also had Seim pawn electronic equipment he mailed to her, and she sent the money back.
Seim also began receiving MoneyGram wire transfers from people she did not know, depositing counterfeit and stolen checks, allowing the scammer to transfer stolen money to her, and accepting unemployment benefits for people she did not know.
Seim also deposited a $100,000 check stolen in a romance fraud scheme.
Officials say Seim continued to give the scammer money, despite warnings from wire transfer agencies, law enforcement officials, bank officials, and even though her financial accounts were forcibly closed.
Between June 2014 and February 2021, Seim tried to conduct transactions between $550,000 and $1,500,000.
81-Year-Old Woman Helped Online Scammers Steal As Much As USD$1.5M
According to the United States Department of Justice:
United States District Court Judge Stephen R. Clark accepted a plea of guilty from Glenda Seim, 81 years old of Kirkwood, Missouri on November 2, 2021 for two counts of identity theft related to her participation as a “money mule” in various fraudulent schemes on behalf of her online romantic interest. A grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri previously indicted Seim for the charges.
A “money mule” is a person who receives fraudulently obtained money and merchandise on behalf of a scammer, and then forwards the proceeds to the scammer.
Sometime during 2014, Seim began an online relationship with an individual who claimed to be a United States citizen with business interests in Nigeria. Throughout the years, Seim’s purported romantic interest would ask for her assistance in paying fees, taxes, and penalties to the Nigerian government or his business associates. He claimed that he could not leave Nigeria unless he paid those funds. Despite having never met her romantic interest in person or communicated with him in any form other than texting, Seim began sending him money from her Social Security retirement benefits and pension. He later asked her to pawn electronic equipment that he had others send to her in the mail and forward the funds to him.
Because the return was not as high as he wanted, Seim began participating in other fraudulent schemes including: receiving MoneyGram wire transfers from senders she did not know; depositing counterfeit and fraudulently obtained checks into financial accounts she opened; allowing her romantic interest to fraudulently transfer funds from the financial accounts of various businesses into her financial accounts; and accepting unemployment insurance benefit payments on behalf of individuals she did not know. A check drawn on the retirement account of a romance fraud victim in the amount of $100,000 was among Seim’s fraudulent deposits. Seim kept a portion of the funds fraudulently obtained before providing the balance to her online romantic partner.
Despite warnings by wire transfer agencies, local police officers, federal law enforcement representatives, and bank representatives and the forced closing of her financial accounts, Seim continued to facilitate the transfer of funds on behalf of her online romantic interest. Between June 2014 and February 2021, Seim attempted to conduct fraudulent transactions between $550,000 and $1,500,000.
Seim is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2022.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service.
This Is A Particularly Sad Case
Glenda was clearly manipulated and controlled by the scammers engineering the romance scam and the subsequent activities.
As we know, romance scams are especially powerful both in their psychology and in the level of manipulation that can be employed against a victim. And while clearly, this victim was warned by authorities, she was powerless to stop. However, instead of a proper psychiatric determination, the government decided to prosecute.
To make a determination from a distance is very hard, but seeing the above video leads to an inescapable conclusion that she still exists in substantial denial. She shows hallmarks of trauma in her demeanor as well.
As we have written about many times, the level of manipulation that victims go through is extraordinary. Significant trauma can result with the ending of a romance scam and it is natural for a victim to avoid that ending by living in a state of denial.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MONEY MULES HERE!
What is especially striking in this case, and in most others of elderly victims that were converted into money mules or even accomplices, is that they did this will under the full control of the criminals. Putting someone like this through a trial and conviction and sentencing is cruel and unnecessary. This is a mental health issue not a criminal justice issue.
In no way do we condone her actions, but these were not the actions of a person who had otherwise led a life of morality and integrity. These were the actions of someone under the control and manipulation of professional criminals focused only on their own gain.
Unfortunately, this is the model that law enforcement is increasingly turning to, to stop money mules. Arresting and prosecuting them, instead of institutional mental healthcare.
As long as there are romance scams, and as long as there are romance scam victims, there will be money mules who live in such denial that they cannot accept reality. But we need to find a better way to end their activities with greater compassion because the difference between a normal scam victim and someone like this is the slimmest of margins.
Resources
To learn more about money mules and how to stop or help them we suggest the following:
- 5 Steps Guide For Money Mules
- Find a trauma counselor or therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/trauma-and-ptsd
- Find a criminal law attorney: Criminal Law – FindLaw
SCARS RSN Articles About Mules:
- What Is A Money Mule? – An Overview
- Money Laundering Presents Grave Dangers For Scam Victims & Mules
- Money Mule Series: About Banking & Legal Responsibility
- All About Money Mules
- Scam Victims & Violating The Law
- Giving Out Your Banking Information – SCARS™ Scam Warning
- What Are Scammer Money Mules?
- Understanding and Protecting Yourself Against Money Mule Schemes
- The Difference Between A Scammer’s MULE and a MOLE
- Landmark Case Changes Everything For Money Mules
- Criminal Crack Down On Money Mules Worldwide
- Europe Continues The Global Crackdown On Money Mules
- Missouri Money/Parcel Mule Convicted
- Another Senior Faces Jail As A Scammer Drug Mule
- Scam Basics: From Victim To Criminal
- FBI Warning About Scammers Recruiting Mules
- Rubberband Bank Wire Transfer Scams [Infographic]
- Why Reporting Matters?
- Editorial: Attitudes Are Changing
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- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
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A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
I wouldn’t fall for that, as soon as money is mentioned, I would treat it as a scam and cut them off, once I wasted their time.
Famous last words! Everyone can be scammed. Believing that you cannot makes you an ideal candidate. This is not about pride or what you know, those are just cognitive biases, it is about behaviors. But yes, this is a more extreme case, but also very common. Thousands are no being held to account each year.