A 63-year-old man from Florida has been arrested in connection with a years-long cyber fraud scheme that drained more than $1 million from an elderly Georgia couple.
Charles Henry Williams, a resident of Trinity, Florida, was taken into custody on August 29 after a five-month investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Center. He now faces multiple charges, including Theft by Deception and Exploitation of an Elder Person.
Authorities say the alleged fraud spanned four years and centered around a timeshare resale scam that specifically targeted vulnerable seniors. Its primary victims—an elderly couple in Newnan, Georgia—were misled into believing they were engaged in legitimate financial transactions involving their property, but the payments kept piling up with no results.
By the time the fraud was discovered, the couple had lost more than $1 million. As the investigation unfolded, officials found that this wasn’t an isolated incident. According to the GBI, additional victims in multiple states were identified, suggesting a broader pattern of deceit. Law enforcement agencies from Tennessee and Florida also collaborated on the case, helping piece together the web of transactions and online activity that led back to Williams.
The suspect is being transferred to Coweta County, Georgia, where he’ll face formal charges in court. However, the status of the ongoing investigation is unclear.
How to Stay Safe
In the meantime, law enforcement is urging the public—especially seniors and their families—to stay alert for similar schemes. Cyber fraud targeting the elderly is on the rise, often taking the form of phishing emails, phony investment opportunities, or fraudulent timeshare deals.
While this case may feel distant to most, the warning is clear: scams like this can—and do—happen anywhere. Authorities are encouraging people to talk openly with older relatives about online safety and never to send money without verifying the legitimacy of the request.
Anonymous tips related to this case or other suspected cybercrimes can be submitted to local authorities or via national reporting hotlines and apps.
Source: Hoodline