Woman Gets $730,000 from Friends

An Iowa woman swindled her friends out of a total of $730,000 according to macon.com



According to an investigation, 60-year-old Beverly De Ronde of Pella swindled her friends out of $730,000 in a scheme that started with a very sweet request from some friends. She is being charged with 12 counts of mail fraud.

De Ronde hand wrote notes asking friends and relatives for loans so she could buy something for her husband for his birthday while there was a sale, promising to pay the loans back with interest. Of course, it had to be kept secret because it was a surprise.

The scheme lasted for seven years - from 2003 until she filed for bankruptcy in 2010. During this time, De Ronde conned friends, relatives, and even co-workers in Iowa. The money has allegedly been used to buy jewelry and antiques and to pay off debts.

Some of the individuals involved in the scheme loaned De Ronde over $40,000. De Ronde never paid back the money she borrowed from people in whole, but did give small gifts back in order to gain trust from the people so she could borrow more money.

In 2010, she sent letters to all of her lenders saying that she was spending beyond her means and to have no further contact with her or her husband, then she filed for bankruptcy. Many of the lenders have filed legal action to prevent their debts from being waived.

De Ronde and her husband are not allowed to get rid of any of the antiques, jewelry and other items that are assumed to have been purchased with the money that De Ronde borrowed from people.

De Ronde will be appearing in court on September 19 for arraignment. De Ronde's husband does not face any charges.
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