A close friend of mine lost $200K USD (around half of it borrowed) over a period of five months. The scammer met him on Facebook Dating, had video/audio chats with him on a daily basis, then eventually introduced him to a fake crypto trading platform to help him pay off his mortgage.

These platforms generally allow users to withdraw their funds at the beginning, and it was only after he had deposited a significant sum that they disabled withdrawals. They then demanded (and collected) withdrawal taxes, fees, etc. before moving their platform to a different domain.

My friend is convinced the scammer is also a victim who has "lost" 90k by "loaning" it to him in preparation for the pig butchering event. Unfortunately, he's continuing to speak with her and I'm concerned for his well-being.

It's sick how persistent these scammers are - they will isolate and wear down their victims over time until there's nothing left.