A 30-year-old Saipan resident known as Sze Man Yu Inos, who also goes by the name Yuki, was sentenced to more than five and a half years behind bars for orchestrating a deceptive wire fraud operation that exploited the trust of numerous older women. On April 23, 2026, Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona of the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands imposed the 71-month prison term, along with three years of supervised release following her release, 100 hours of community service, full restitution totaling $769,355.67, and a mandatory $200 special assessment.
The court additionally ordered a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $684,848.34 against her.
The case, announced the following day by US Attorney Shawn N. Anderson for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, highlights a calculated scheme that spanned more than a year and crossed state lines.
Between November 2020 and January 2022, Inos deliberately sought out vulnerable older women in Saipan and Guam, striking up friendships as a way to build rapport before executing her financial deceptions.
She portrayed herself as the daughter of a prosperous Chinese family, boasting ownership of several thriving businesses and claiming impressive returns from Bitcoin investments.
To reinforce this image, she lavished her targets with upscale dinners, thoughtful presents, and repeated stories of her supposed financial successes.
Once she had earned their confidence, Inos fabricated personal struggles and emphasized the emotional bond she shared with the women, frequently referring to them in maternal terms to deepen the connection.
This emotional manipulation paved the way for direct requests for cash and invitations to invest in what she falsely described as lucrative Bitcoin opportunities.
Even after departing the Mariana Islands region, she extended her activities, successfully defrauding additional individuals in Washington state and California.
Authorities noted that the operation continued even while legal proceedings against her were underway, demonstrating a persistent disregard for the consequences.
Federal officials described the conduct as a classic example of affinity fraud, in which perpetrators exploit personal relationships and shared vulnerabilities to inflict serious financial harm.
US Attorney Anderson emphasized that such criminals capitalize on people’s natural inclination to trust one another, particularly when targeting elderly victims across different locations.
He pointed out the substantial monetary damages inflicted and stressed that the court’s firm penalty reflected the severity of the betrayal.
Similarly, David Porter, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Honolulu office, underscored the long-term damage caused by Inos’s actions, which left a path of economic devastation affecting dozens of innocent people across multiple states.
He highlighted additional tactics, including the falsification of a federal judge’s signature to advance the scams, as evidence of her complete disregard for both the victims and legal standards.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant US Attorney Garth R. Backe handling the prosecution on behalf of the Northern Mariana Islands district.
The sentencing serves as a reminder of the US government’s ongoing commitment to pursuing those who prey on trusting individuals through sophisticated financial schemes. Victims are encouraged to contact authorities if they believe they may have been affected, as restitution efforts continue.