Retired Sportswriter Loses $270K Life Savings in Online Scam

82-year-old Al Levine fell victim to a 'pig-butchering' scheme featuring a 'young and gorgeous' woman named 'Daisy Miller'

Apr. 13, 2026 at 4:56pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a shattered gold coin or jewelry fragment, capturing the gritty, investigative aesthetic of a crime scene through dramatic lighting and shallow depth of field.A shattered remnant of a victim's lost life savings, a stark reminder of the devastating impact of 'pig-butchering' investment scams.San Diego Today

Al Levine, an 82-year-old former Atlanta Journal-Constitution sportswriter, says he lost his entire $270,000 life savings over 10 weeks after a scammer posing as a woman named 'Daisy Miller' lured him into a fraudulent online investment scheme. The scammer built trust through flirtatious messages and photos before steering Levine towards a fake trading platform called 'SunX' where he lost everything.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing threat of 'pig-butchering' scams that blend fake romance with investment fraud, often targeting older adults. It underscores the need for greater public awareness and education around online fraud tactics, as well as the difficulty in recovering funds once they are funneled overseas through untraceable channels.

The details

According to Levine's account, the scam began with an unsolicited text message from 'Daisy Miller' inviting him to a cookout. Despite initial suspicions, Levine became convinced the woman was real after she shared photos and details about her life. The relationship quickly shifted to business, with 'Daisy' persuading Levine to invest in gold futures through a website called SunX. While there is a legitimate trading platform called SunX.io, the scammers were using a fraudulent imposter site to carry out their scheme. Levine ended up withdrawing his entire $133,000 portfolio and taking out a $20,000 loan, all of which was funneled to the scammers. When he tried to withdraw funds, he was hit with bogus 'tax' fees, at which point he realized he had been defrauded. In total, Levine lost $271,000, his entire life savings.

  • In early October, Levine's account appeared to show $1.3 million, but this was all fictional.
  • When Levine tried to withdraw funds in early October, he was told to pay $216,000 in bogus taxes - the final red flag.

The players

Al Levine

An 82-year-old former sportswriter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution who lost his $270,000 life savings in an online scam.

'Daisy Miller'

The fake identity used by the scammer who targeted Levine, likely using stolen or AI-generated photos.

SunX

A fraudulent online trading platform used by the scammers to funnel Levine's money, impersonating the legitimate trading site SunX.io.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“How do you know she's real? I hope you're not doing any kind of trading with her.”

— Levine's daughter

“In order for me to defraud you... I have to get you to trust me.”

— Brett Johnson, Former cybercriminal

“Photos, voice notes, video calls — that's not proof in today's age of deepfakes.”

— Brett Johnson, Former cybercriminal

What’s next

Investigators say the $271,000 Levine lost is likely gone for good, as the money was wired overseas through channels that are nearly impossible to trace or recover.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of 'pig-butchering' scams that blend fake romance with investment fraud, often targeting older adults. It underscores the need for greater public awareness and education around online fraud tactics, as well as the difficulty in recovering funds once they are funneled overseas through untraceable channels.