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An elderly man was scammed out of nearly $1 million by a fraudster posing as WWE superstar Alexa Bliss.
Alfred Mancinelli, 79, who died after failing to recover from neck surgery needed after taking a fall, was among the victims featured in a New York Times article on elderly people giving out money to online scammers. Mancinelli's son, Chris, told the newspaper that his relationship with his father became strained after he found out that he gave up about $1 million in retirement savings, as well as his granddaughter's college fund, to an imposter posing as Bliss, 33, who he referred to as 'Lexi,' with the belief that they were in a romantic relationship.
"There was nothing we could do to convince him," Chris said.
The scheme dated back to 2018, but reportedly worsened during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mancinelli's nest egg, which was previously up to $900,000, decreased to about $128,000 and Chris estimated that most of his money went to one or more Bliss impostors.
The messages between Mancinelli and the impostor included the victim detailing his disowning of his son, the fake Bliss claiming to have been humiliated by then-WWE chairman Vince McMahon after turning down his advances, and the impostor requesting money for hospital treatments.
An elder care specialist claimed that Alfred was still "really sharp," however, lacked purpose in his life when the scheme took place. Bliss, a three-time WWE Women's World Champion who last appeared on WWE television in January 2023, is frequently used as a persona in scams.
Bliss married singer-songwriter Ryan Cabrera in April 2022 after they were initially reported to be dating in February 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Hendrix, on November 27, 2023.