Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Cedric Wormely, 59, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for a multi-year romance fraud that victimized women in Vermont and elsewhere. Wormely previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in connection with this scheme to defraud women he met via various online dating platforms to provide him with money. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier imposed restitution of $151,432.19 for the victims of the offense. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also sentenced Wormely to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for violating his conditions of supervised release which were imposed after Wormely’s convictions in the Northern District of Alabama for drug trafficking and counterfeiting offenses.According to court records, for years Wormely defrauded women who were seeking love. With limited exceptions, Wormely met his victims through various online dating platforms where he falsely presented himself as a man living in New England who had worked for a shipping company for decades, and who was looking to operate his own businesses in retirement. Wormely’s criminal lies caused substantial emotional and financial harm to women who were simply looking for someone with whom they could spend their lives. Wormely’s misrepresentations went beyond saying that he lived where he did not live. To legitimize himself, he detailed places he regularly visited in New England, sent photographs of himself in his work vest, and described the routes he took throughout Vermont. Wormely made false promises that the money his victims were giving to him was going to be used to support a shared future together, and when his victims questioned him, Wormely would turn the conversation around to make the victims feel that they were in the wrong. Wormely spent a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds gambling at various casinos around Robinsonville, Mississippi.First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Secret Service and the assistance and coordination of the Berlin, Vermont, Police Department.The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Wormely was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defenders Samuel Ansell and Steve Barth.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice