Ohio County Man Indicted in Romance Scam

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA - Eugene Robert LeClear, age 52, of Wheeling, West Virginia, has been indicted for allegedly defrauding a woman he met online, announced United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.

Court documents indicate that LeClear began an online relationship with the victim in 2022. LeClear began requesting money from her under the guise that he needed money to pay for medical expenses and to post bond in a criminal action, among other false pretenses. LeClear promised to reimburse the victim and falsely represented he had access to millions of dollars from gambling winnings and prior criminal activity. The victim lost approximately $96,000 from the scheme.

"Romance scammers are expert manipulators who develop relationships that feel very real," said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. "Victims are understandably reluctant to come forward because they are embarrassed, but we hope they still will so that action can be taken to prevent others from being harmed."

LeClear was charged with five counts of wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count. If convicted, a federal district court judge would determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

If you have any information you wish to report regarding LeClear, please contact the FBI via email at [email protected].

An indictment is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.