Monica Ruiz

Location: Texas

Age at the time of arrest: 45

Date of sentencing:  September 14, 2021

Monica Ruiz was sentenced to 97 months in prison for stealing $4.85 million from an elderly woman.

Before she was sentenced, Ruiz manipulated this individual by telling them and convincing them of multiple lies in order to gain money. These lies consisted of that Ruiz had been in a coma; that Ruiz had brain surgery; that Ruiz was falsely arrested and imprisoned; that Ruiz had bribed a judge and prosecutor; that Ruiz’s son died in a car accident in Pennsylvania; that Ruiz was in a car accident; that Ruiz had a kidney transplant; that Ruiz’s daughter was committed to a mental institution; that Ruiz was incarcerated; and that Ruiz’s grandmother died. Ruiz was not the only one convincing the elder of these lies, she would make other individuals do it, so the lies were more believable. Throughout these lies, the elderly victim felt the need to help Ruiz by sending her money. 

Articles

• https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/louisiana-woman-guilty-48-million-elder-fraud-scheme
• https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/woman-sentenced-to-8-years-for-taking-485-million-from-elderly-bullard-woman/501-c24a7239-bba1-4165-85ad-6dbabd54fba0
• https://www.ksla.com/2021/09/15/shreveport-woman-sentenced-485-million-elder-fraud-scheme/
• https://www.kltv.com/2020/11/24/woman-accused-bilking-elderly-bullard-woman-out-m/