Retired journalist loses $270,000 in 'pig-butchering' scam

An 82-year-old man's online romance turned into a fake gold investment scheme that drained his life savings

Apr. 19, 2026 at 9:35am

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An extreme close-up photograph of an older man's hands on a laptop keyboard, lit by a stark, direct camera flash against a dark background, conceptually illustrating the devastating impact of an online investment scam.The harsh, sudden lighting of this image reflects the jarring impact of a sophisticated online scam that drained an elderly man's life savings.Los Angeles Today

An 82-year-old retired sportswriter named Al Levine lost nearly $300,000 — his entire life savings — in just 10 weeks after falling victim to a sophisticated online scam that began with a simple text message. The scam, known as a 'pig-butchering' scheme, involved a scammer posing as a young woman named Daisy Miller who slowly built trust before steering Levine into a fraudulent investment platform called SunX.

Why it matters

Pig-butchering scams have become increasingly common, with scammers using flattery and frequent check-ins to build trust before making financial requests. These scams can devastate victims, draining their savings and leaving lasting emotional and personal damage.

The details

The scam started with a text message inviting Levine to a cookout, which led to a flirtatious relationship with 'Daisy,' who claimed to run a jewelry business in Los Angeles. Over time, the conversation shifted to investing, and 'Daisy' introduced Levine to the SunX trading platform, where he initially saw small profits. Encouraged, Levine invested more, eventually emptying his $133,000 investment portfolio. When he tried to withdraw funds, he was told he needed to pay $216,000 in taxes first — a common tactic used by scammers.

  • In early October, Levine's account showed a balance of $1.3 million, but it was all fake.
  • By the time Levine realized the platform was fraudulent, he had already lost $271,000 — all of his savings.

The players

Al Levine

An 82-year-old retired sportswriter who lost his life savings in a 'pig-butchering' scam.

Daisy Miller

A scammer posing as a young woman who built trust with Levine before steering him into a fraudulent investment scheme.

SunX

A legitimate trading platform that has been infiltrated by scammers imitating its social media communities to carry out illegal fundraising, investment scams, and Ponzi-like activities.

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What they’re saying

“I believed her despite all the red flags waving in my face.”

— Al Levine, Retired journalist

“For me to defraud you … I have to get you to trust me. It doesn't start with, 'Send me money.' He's not looking for one payday; he's looking for everything that you've got.”

— Brett Johnson, Former cybercriminal, now security consultant

What’s next

Levine is now living on Social Security and a pension, and has been forced to sell personal belongings, including a never-worn Rolex watch, to make ends meet.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of 'pig-butchering' scams, where scammers build trust over time before draining victims' life savings. It serves as a warning to be wary of unsolicited messages, online relationships, and investment opportunities that seem too good to be true, and to listen to the concerns of family and advisors.