Ashburn Man Took, Laundered Money In 'Romance Scam': Police

ASHBURN, VA — A 63-year-old Ashburn man is being held without bond on Thursday after he was arrested and charged in connection to what Loudoun County authorities are characterizing as a romance scam, police said.

William D. Gladden was arrested Wednesday and charged with three counts of money laundering and three counts of obtaining money under false pretenses, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department announced Thursday. As part of an investigation, Gladden was determined to have received money from the scam and then laundered the money in transferring cash overseas, police said.

Police said that a 60-year-old woman from Nebraska reported that she met someone through an online dating site. The person or persons she communicated with made the victim to believe that they were living outside the United States. During their conversations, police said that the woman said she was asked to provide money for a business the people she was speaking with were starting. The website for the purported business has since been taken down, police said.

In October, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department officials were contacted by the victim who said that she determined that the money had been sent to Gladden in Loudoun County, police said. A search warrant was obtained and Gladden was arrested on Wednesday. Investigators are still working to determine if other victims were involved as well as connections to other overseas perpetrators, police said.

Gladden is being held in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond. Loudoun County Sheriff’s officials are warning local residents to be careful about sending money to anyone they have never met via wire transfer, pre-paid money cards, checks or via mobile apps.