Feds accuse Colombian man in Grindr scheme targeting older wealthier men in Florida

Federal prosecutors say a Colombian man was part of a scheme in which older, wealthier men met through Grindr were allegedly drugged, robbed and defrauded in South Florida and Orlando.

Federal prosecutors in the United States say a 22-year-old Colombian national is facing multiple charges in a case involving older, wealthier men allegedly targeted through Grindr in South Florida and Orlando. According to the criminal complaint, the suspect is accused of acting with others in a scheme that combined drugging victims, stealing property and carrying out financial fraud.

Investigators say one of the victims, a 67-year-old man in Miami, invited two men to his apartment after a conversation on the app. He later woke up more than a day later feeling extremely ill and disoriented, leading authorities to suspect he had been drugged. Prosecutors say his phone, laptop, wallet, jewelry and cash were missing, and that unauthorized transactions later appeared on his accounts.

Another victim in Miami Beach, aged 62, reportedly invited two men to his condominium after speaking on Grindr. According to investigators, he later woke up to find jewelry, money, car keys and other belongings gone. In Orlando, prosecutors say two married men aged 59 and 60 were also targeted after arranging a meeting with several men, and later discovered their home had been ransacked and their financial cards used.

Authorities say the group used stolen cards for large purchases, including shopping at Apple Store locations and other businesses. The federal case includes allegations of conspiracy, fraud, identity theft and kidnapping. The case is being presented as another example of how dating apps can be exploited in schemes that combine deception, chemical incapacitation, theft and financial abuse.