A 30-year-old woman from Saipan has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for running a Bitcoin-related fraud scheme that targeted older women in multiple U.S. locations.
The defendant, Sze Man Yu Inos, also known as “Yuki,” was sentenced by a United States court after being found guilty of wire fraud. According to a statement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the scheme took place between November 2020 and January 2022 and resulted in losses exceeding $769,000.
Prosecutors said Inos approached older women in Saipan and Guam and presented herself as a wealthy Chinese heiress with successful investments in Bitcoin. She reportedly built personal relationships with the victims by taking them to expensive meals, giving gifts, and sharing fabricated personal stories.
“She confided in them about fictitious personal problems and claimed their friendship was important to her – often telling them, ‘You are like my mom,’” authorities said in the statement.
After gaining their trust, Inos asked for money and encouraged them to invest in Bitcoin under false pretenses. The scheme continued after she left the Northern Mariana Islands, with additional victims identified in Washington and California.
Investigators said Inos also used fraudulent documents to support her claims, including forging the signature of a federal judge. FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter said the act demonstrated “contempt for victims and the rule of law.”
The court ordered Inos to serve 71 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also required to complete 100 hours of community service. In addition, the court imposed restitution of $769,355.67 and a forfeiture judgment of $684,848.34. A mandatory $200 special assessment was included in the sentence.
According to the FBI, reported losses from crypto scams in the United States reached $11.4 billion in 2025, a 22 percent increase from the previous year. Individuals aged 60 and older accounted for $4.43 billion of those losses.
Authorities continue to warn that fraud schemes involving digital assets often rely on personal trust and false claims of investment success rather than the technology itself.
The cryptocurrency market showed stability and sharp gains on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, as Bitcoin held steady above $77,000 and trading activity shifted toward alternative digital assets.
According to a report by analyst Kelvin Munene, Bitcoin (BTC) was trading at approximately $77,213.58, marking a 0.4 percent increase over the previous 24 hours. Ethereum (ETH) also recorded gains, rising 1.6 percent to $2,324.70.
Market activity appeared to be influenced by Bitcoin’s ability to maintain its position above the $77,000 level. This stability encouraged investors to take on higher risk in smaller cryptocurrencies.
XRP was priced at $1.39 with a modest increase, while Binance Coin (BNB) rose 0.3 percent to $627.52. Solana (SOL) gained 0.7 percent, reaching $84.78.
Trading volumes remained high. Bitcoin recorded more than $34 billion in daily transactions, while Ethereum exceeded $13 billion, indicating continued liquidity across major assets.
Smaller cryptocurrencies posted stronger gains during the same period. Fluent (BLEND) rose by 120.2 percent with nearly $50 million in trading volume. SkyAI (SKYAI) increased by 41.7 percent, and Eitherway (EITHER) climbed 39.9 percent.
Other tokens also advanced. TAC recorded a 32.3 percent gain, while Humanity (H) rose by 27.3 percent. API3 (API3) and Bio Protocol (BIO) each increased by more than 20 percent.
The report noted that this pattern is consistent with previous market behavior, in which Bitcoin’s stability at higher price levels leads to increased investment in smaller, higher-growth assets.
Despite the rise in altcoins, large cryptocurrencies continued to dominate the market. Bitcoin maintained a market capitalization above $1.54 trillion, while Ethereum remained near $280 billion. XRP and Binance Coin each held valuations exceeding $80 billion.
