A Florida woman netted approximately $3 million over six years from a romance scam, investigators in eastern North Carolina said.
According to Craven County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Christina Jane Julian, 56, was arrested on Jan. 21. She was charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense in excess of $100,000 and felony exploiting the elderly.
Investigators alleged that Julian has scammed victims out of approximately $3 million over a six-year period nationwide.
She was extradited from Florida to North Carolina on Jan. 21, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Investigators said that Julian is accused of scamming a woman in Craven County out of $139,900, WITN reported. The money was paid for “an unnamed male” to return to the United States, court documents state.
The sheriff’s office said it received a report on Dec. 22, 2025, about a romance scam in excess of $100,000.
The alleged scam occurred last year between July 21 and Aug. 28, WITN reported.
The sheriff’s office, citing Federal Trade Commission guidelines, said that romance scammers create fake profiles on dating sites or contact potential victims through social media platforms.
The scammers then attempt to gain the victim’s trust before making up a story and asking for money.
The FTC noted that romance scammers tend to be paid more with gift cards than with other payment methods.
The sheriff’s office advised the public to report potential scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
“Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven’t met in person,” the sheriff’s office said.
Julian remains in the Craven County Jail. Bond was set at $350,000, online court records show.
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