Gwinnett PD help return more than $100k stolen from a local women through a business email scam

(Lawrenceville, Ga., September 24, 2024) – Gwinnett County Police Department reported that its detectives were able to help return more than $100,000 in stolen cash scammed by a Business Email Compromise.

According to a press release from GCPD, the scam typically targets businesses that regularly send large wire transfers. In this case, the victim received a closing email in December 2022 from a real estate closing attorney’s office.  The victim was purchasing a home and the scammer was portrayed as her closing attorney in the emails, directing the victim to send $131,092.55 via a wire transfer to finalize the sale.  After sending the money, the victim learned that the funds were not sent to her closing attorney and were instead direct to a JP Morgan Chase Bank account in New York.

Edwina Winter

Detectives with the Gwinnett County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit found that the money was sent to an account controlled by Edina Winter of Glen Cove, New York.  Detectives with the Glen Cove Police Department were able to confirm that Winter had no association with the sale of the house and was in possession of the victim’s money. She was charged in New York and returned $45,092.55 that she had personally used from the funds.  With the assistance of JP Morgan Chase, GCPD was able to seize the remaining $86,000 and return it to the victim. 

If anyone has any information to share in this case, they are asked to contact GCPD detectives at 770.513.5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404.577.TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.