Ze’Shawn Stanley Campbell, 35, of Irvine, South Orange County, California, United States is a romance scammer. From April 2014 to April 2020, he befriending 19 people, started romantic relationships with some of them and victimized them all.

Campbell told the victims that he had millions of dollars and operated successful businesses, including a security company, McDonald’s franchises and a chain of gyms in Texas, USA, that he had served as a U.S. Navy Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and that he was a successful investor in real estate and Bitcoin. These were all false.

Campbell induced the victims to provide money and property to him to support his businesses, fund investments made on their behalf and pay his medical bills. He used the money and property he received from the victims to buy luxury items for himself and pay personal expenses.

In December 2017, one of the victims wrote Campbell a check for $61,452. The Irvine resident deposited the money via interstate wires into a Wells Fargo bank account he controlled, promised the victim that the money would be used for an investment in Bitcoin on the victim’s behalf then spent the money on himself, including by making payments on a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz he had leased in another victim’s name.

On March 6, 2021, Campbell was returning from an international flight when he was arrested at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. He was charged with bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

On October 17, 2022, Campbell pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He admitted to causing losses of at least $250,000 and up to $1.5 million to 10 individuals and nine companies.

Campbell will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing will be on January 9, 2023.