The Florida Office of Statewide Prosecution's Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit secured the record sentence against Swinton, who was convicted on multiple counts including criminal use of personal identification information of persons over 60, exploitation of elderly victims, organized fraud, fraudulent credit card use, and uttering forged instruments. The case represents the unit's most significant prosecution since its establishment two years ago.
Swinton's scheme began in June 2022 when he repeatedly contacted a 95-year-old victim, falsely claiming the man's Fidelity investment account had been compromised. "This fraudster preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens without remorse," said Attorney General Uthmeier. "Florida will not tolerate criminals who exploit our seniors." The defendant convinced his victim to transfer funds to a Wells Fargo account and mailed him a flash drive and cell phone to gain remote access to the victim's computer.
From his prison cell, where he was serving time for an unrelated offense, Swinton guided the elderly victim through creating a cryptocurrency wallet and conducted unauthorized transfers to his own accounts. He also wrote and deposited checks to himself from the victim's account. After his release in March 2025, Swinton immediately resumed criminal activity, targeting a 97-year-old woman by impersonating a Spectrum employee to obtain her banking information and conduct unauthorized transactions.
The investigation began after the 95-year-old victim filed a complaint and was conducted jointly by the CFEU and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The case highlights growing concerns about cryptocurrency-enabled elder fraud, particularly schemes conducted remotely that exploit seniors' unfamiliarity with digital financial tools. The Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit was established in 2023 specifically to address the increasing sophistication of technology-based financial crimes.
"Targeting elderly victims through fraud and deception is a calculated and cruel crime," said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. "We are grateful to see justice delivered in this case. We will continue working alongside our partners at the Attorney General's Office to hold offenders accountable and protect our community and seniors from predators."
Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Sarah Keith and Patrick Gilday secured the conviction, which Attorney General Uthmeier praised as reflecting "the severity of these crimes." Swinton will serve his sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections.
The case signals Florida's aggressive approach to prosecuting cryptocurrency fraud targeting vulnerable populations and may serve as a deterrent to similar schemes. The sentence length suggests courts are treating elder-targeted crypto fraud as seriously as traditional financial crimes, particularly when conducted from correctional facilities.