Bangladesh, March 19 -- When Annika Gustafson first heard the warm and charismatic voice of Anthony Adams over the phone, she felt an instant connection. He asked her to call him “Tony,” and he always addressed her as “dear.” He shared personal dreams of seeing the Northern Lights and even promised to visit her in Sweden. As a retired journalist in her late 60s, Annika was facing financial hardship-she needed costly dental work but lacked the savings to cover it. When she came across a Facebook advertisement promoting a lucrative new investment opportunity in October 2023, it seemed like a lifeline. That was when Anthony entered her life.

He claimed to be a senior financial adviser based in the UK, passionate abou...