Bergen County Man Allegeldy Tricked Elderly Woman To Giving Him $1M, Authorities Say

A Bergen County man has been arrested following an investigation where he allegedly stole $1 million from a Connecticut woman, authorities said.

Authorities allege that Sonny Y. Lee convinced a 92-year-old woman from Greenwich, Conn. to donate more than $1 million earlier this year to a Christian charity, said Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli. However, an investigation revealed that Lee was not using the money for a charity but was exploiting the woman, Molinelli said.

An investigator with Bank of America reported “unusual banking activity” involving Lee, Molinelli said.

Lee, 59, of Old Tappan, was charged with theft by deception and money laundering, Molinelli said. The charges were filed after the two-week long investigation by the prosecutor’s office White Collar Crimes Unit.

Lee was served a summons on the charges Saturday and appeared in Bergen County Central Municipal Court Monday.

(Pictured: Sonny Y. Lee, 59/Courtesy of Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office)