New Jersey father loses $280,000 life savings in Facebook pig butchering scam after stranger messages him about celiac disease post

Summary

Joe Novak, a 51-year-old former IT executive from Wallington, New Jersey, lost $280,000 in a pig butchering scam that began in October 2024 when a stranger named 'Ailis Danner' messaged him on Facebook after seeing his post about caring for his son with celiac disease. The two moved to WhatsApp, where the scammer cultivated a romantic relationship over several months, sharing photos and voice notes. By February 2025 they had declared love for each other. In April 2025 'Ailis' introduced a cryptocurrency investment opportunity; Novak invested small amounts initially and was able to withdraw them, building false confidence before investing his entire life savings of $280,000. When he tried to withdraw, he was told he owed additional fees. By March 2025 he realised he had been scammed. 'I lost everything. I lost my kids' future. I lost my future,' Novak told CNN. 'I cried every day.' The Facebook account was fake; 'Ailis Danner' was a fabricated identity.