Criminal’s Story #10 – Oscar Peters

Crime Type: Romance Scam

Crime Country: USA

TRUE CRIME DISCLAIMER

This is a true crime story from the actual criminal’s story as obtained from official and media sources, enhanced and fictionalized for clarity by the SCARS Institute Editorial Team. We utilized the SCARS Institute’s AI ‘Jane’ to dive deeper and delve into the minds of these criminals, scammers, and fraudsters, crafting their real stories to reveal their potential motivations and methods. Understanding these perpetrators helps us combat and disrupt crime/scams/fraud more effectively, empowering us with the insights needed to protect others. No assertion is made about the guilt or innocence of the individual(s) depicted in this story other than what was published previously.

WARNING: THIS SCAMMER’S OR CRIMINAL’S STORY MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME PEOPLE. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

ADVERTENCIA: LA HISTORIA DE ESTA CRIMINAL O ESTAFADOR PUEDE SER INSENSIBLE PARA ALGUNAS PERSONAS. SE RECOMIENDA DISCRECIÓN.

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A Criminal’s Story

The Game of Hearts

I’m Oscar Peters, 65, a British man, extradited to the U.S.,

I’ve always had a knack for words. Back in London, I’d charm my way through pubs, spinning tales that kept folks hanging on every syllable. But charm doesn’t pay the bills forever, not when you’re staring down retirement with nothing saved. By 2020, I’d found a better stage: the internet. That’s where I became someone else—a billionaire, a dreamer, a man who could make a woman’s heart race from thousands of miles away. They called it a crime, locked me up for it in June 2025, but to me, it was just a game I played too well. Let me tell you about the Portland woman, the $1.9 million, and why I couldn’t stop.

It started with Millionaire Match Maker, one of those fancy dating sites where lonely people with money go looking for love. I’d been at this for years, crafting profiles that screamed wealth and sophistication. My persona? A Danish billionaire, widowed, living in Copenhagen, with a private jet and a heart aching for connection. I picked the name “Henrik” because it sounded worldly, solid. The profile picture was some silver-haired model I found online—handsome, but not too perfect. I learned early you’ve got to seem real, flawed enough to be believable. I’d scroll through profiles, hunting for the right mark. Women over 50, widowed or divorced, with bios hinting at wealth—those were my sweet spot. The Portland woman, let’s call her Susan, fit the bill. Her profile mentioned a comfortable life, a love for travel, and a longing for a partner to share it with. Perfect.

The scam was simple but took patience, like tending a garden. I’d message first, something gentle: “Your smile caught my eye, Susan. I’m Henrik, a businessman in Denmark, but I believe in fate. Do you?” She’d respond, cautious at first, but I’d reel her in with daily emails, texts, phone calls. I’d describe sunsets over the Baltic, talk about my “charity work,” drop hints about my fortune. I’d ask about her dreams, her fears, make her feel seen. Weeks in, I’d say I was falling for her, that I wanted to marry her someday. She’d blush through the phone, and I knew I had her. The money part came later. I’d spin a story: a business deal gone sour, a frozen account, a tax issue in Denmark. “It’s temporary,” I’d say. “If you could send $10,000 to this account, I’ll pay you back double when I’m stateside.” She’d hesitate, but love makes people blind. The first transfer came, then another, bigger each time—$50,000, $100,000, until it hit $1.9 million. I’d move the money fast, wiring it to accounts in Europe, some to a friend who’d launder it through crypto. Never kept it in one place long.

Who was I targeting? Susan, sure, but she wasn’t personal. I didn’t know her name at first, didn’t need to. She was a type: older, lonely, with savings to spare. Romance scams work because people want to believe in love, especially those who’ve lost it before. I’d read FBI reports later, saying victims like her—elderly, isolated—are the easiest marks. I didn’t see her as a person, just a puzzle to solve, a bank account to unlock. I’d picture her in some big Portland house, checking her phone for my texts, and I’d feel a twinge of guilt. But it passed. She had enough to lose a little, I told myself.

Why’d I do it? Money, of course. I wasn’t young anymore, no pension, no safety net. I wanted the good life—nice suits, dinners at Michelin-star restaurants, maybe a flat in Spain someday. But it wasn’t just cash. There was a rush, a high, in being Henrik. I’d sit at my laptop, crafting emails, and feel like a god, shaping her world, her hopes. I was good at it, better than anyone. I knew the risks—cops, extradition—but I’d been dodging trouble my whole life. Thought I was untouchable. Maybe I got sloppy, stayed too long with Susan. The feds caught up, traced the accounts, and by 2025, I was in a Portland courtroom, pleading guilty to wire fraud. They gave me 37 months, three years supervised release, and a $1.9 million restitution order I’ll never pay.

Sitting in this cell, I don’t regret the game, just getting caught. I made Susan believe in love, gave her hope, even if it was a lie. The world’s full of liars—banks, politicians, all taking more than I ever did. I just played the hand I was dealt. If I get out, I’ll be older, wiser. Maybe I’ll try again, somewhere new. The internet’s a big place, and there’s always another Susan, waiting for a man like Henrik to sweep her away.

Source:  https://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/british-man-sentenced-federal-prison-stealing-nearly-19-million-romance-fraud-scheme

Confirmed Facts

Peters, 65, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,892,439 in restitution. He met his victim via Millionaire Match Maker, posed as a billionaire from Denmark, and used daily romantic communications to extract $1.9 million, promising marriage. The victim was a Portland resident, likely elderly, based on typical romance scam targets.

Notes on Assumed Motivation

Peters’ motivations are inferred from the nature of romance scams and his actions. Financial gain is primary, as the $1.9 million haul suggests a desire for wealth unattainable through legitimate means, especially at 65 with limited prospects. The psychological thrill of manipulation, common in fraudsters, likely drove him, given the effort to maintain a fake persona over months. His choice of an elderly victim aligns with romance scam patterns, exploiting trust and emotional vulnerability for maximum payout. The narrative’s varied tone, reflective, boastful, rationalizing, mirrors the complex mindset of a seasoned con artist, balancing greed, ego, and self-justification.

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SCARS Institute Notes:

Legal Disclaimer: The above narrative represents an interpretation and extrapolation based on all available information about the case. Achieving 100% factual accuracy remains impossible due to the inclusion of supposition and fictionalization to create a complete story and monologue. We aim to present a coherent account of the criminal’s perspective solely for entertainment purposes. We derive no income from this endeavor, offering it purely in the public interest. The criminal did not participate in this process.

Fictionalized True Crime Disclaimer: This story offers a dramatized account inspired by real events, crafted to explore the criminal’s perspective for entertainment purposes. We base the narrative on publicly available information, supplemented with fictional elements to create a cohesive storyline, and do not claim complete factual accuracy. The characters, dialogue, and specific motivations reflect artistic interpretation and do not represent the actual thoughts or actions of the individuals involved. We intend this work to raise awareness about the dangers of financial fraud, and we derive no profit from its publication, presenting it solely in the public interest. The depicted individuals did not contribute to or endorse this narrative.