A 75-year-old Ohio woman named Ann Mayers has been sentenced to an indefinite prison term of 4 to 5.5 years after robbing an AurGroup Credit Union in Fairfield Township.
According to investigators, Mayers — who had no prior criminal record — turned to crime after losing her entire life savings to a scammer posing as a U.S. Customs official. The con artist reportedly drained tens of thousands of dollars from her through a series of fraudulent calls and fake debt claims.
Facing mounting debt and pressure from family and friends she had borrowed from, Mayers reportedly walked into the credit union with a gun, demanding cash. Surveillance footage shows her wearing a winter coat and hat, handing a note to the teller. The robbery ended without injuries, and she fled with only a small sum of money.
Police arrested her hours later after tracking her vehicle from nearby security cameras. In court, Mayers broke down in tears, explaining that she had been desperate and humiliated after being tricked out of her retirement savings.
The judge acknowledged her difficult circumstances but stated that “desperation cannot excuse a violent act.”
Many online viewers, however, sympathized with Mayers, calling her a victim of both the scammer and a broken system that left her without support.
“Imagine working your whole life and losing everything overnight,” one commenter wrote. “She needed help, not prison.”
The case has reignited discussion about elder fraud, which has surged in recent years as scammers target vulnerable seniors. Authorities are urging families to stay vigilant and educate loved ones about common fraud tactics.