COLUMBIA, S.C.—Five inmates in the Carolinas extorted more than half a million dollars from military personnel throughout the country, using illegal cellphones to pose as women on dating sites, authorities said on Nov. 28.
Standing in front of a state prison in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon told reporters that five inmates had been indicted on federal charges including extortion and wire fraud. Ten others throughout the Carolinas have been charged with helping inmates collect extortion payments via services including Western Union or PayPal.
