BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – A North Carolina woman was arrested this week after Bradenton police said she helped scam a 66-year-old man out of at least $100,000.
Elizabeth Ann Hildbrand, 51, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was arrested May 18 on charges of grand theft and money laundering, according to the Bradenton Police Department. She is awaiting extradition to Manatee County.
Police said the case began in February, when the victim filed a fraud report with the department.
The man told investigators he had invested about $300,000 over two years with an online company called “Tesla 1.” He realized he had been scammed after trying to withdraw money from his investment account, police said.
According to investigators, the victim communicated through text messages and the Telegram app with two people acting as brokers, including Hildbrand.
Financial records showed the victim transferred $87,651 through wire transfers and cashier’s checks to bank accounts owned by Hildbrand, police said. Investigators said he also bought $22,500 in Apple gift cards and provided the card numbers and PINs to the brokers.
Police said the victim also mailed an undetermined amount of cash.
Subpoenaed financial records showed Hildbrand deposited much of the victim’s money into her accounts and later made numerous cryptocurrency transactions, according to police.
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After her arrest, Hildbrand agreed to speak with Elder Fraud Detective Jim Curulla. Police said she told him she believed she was romantically involved with “Elon Musk” and agreed to help the billionaire buy cryptocurrency.
Hildbrand told investigators she later realized she had become the victim of a romance scam, police said. However, investigators said she continued to accept money from the Bradenton victim and transfer the funds into cryptocurrency.
The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report found cyber-related crimes cost Americans nearly $21 billion last year, according to Bradenton police. Police said actual losses are likely higher because many scams go unreported.
Investment scams and romance scams were among the most commonly reported and costliest online scams, police said.
The Bradenton Police Department said cases investigated by its Elder Fraud Unit accounted for about $8 million in reported losses in 2025. So far this year, the unit has investigated at least $750,000 in losses as of May 1.
Information about the Bradenton Police Department Elder Fraud Unit and resources on common scams are available at Bradentonpd.com/Elder-Fraud-Unit. Printed resource guides are also available at BD Headquarters, 100 10th St. W.
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