Westbrook man sentenced for role in investment scam

PORTLAND – A 47-year-old Westbrook man who lost everything he owned in an Internet scam and then defrauded others out of nearly $80,000 was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in prison.

At his sentencing in U.S. District Court, Todd Denson was also ordered to pay $54,861 in restitution to four victims. He pleaded guilty in November to mail and wire fraud.

Denson’s problems began when he fell for a fraudulent Internet scheme run out of Ghana. Denson, who owned a window-washing business, sent $60,000 to the African country after being told he could get a $9 million inheritance.

After he ran out of his own money, Denson used a variety of stories to get additional funds from seven “investors” and wired the money overseas in hopes of getting the millions he had been promised.

Prosecutors said Denson used a variety of fabricated stories to get the money, telling one man he had earned millions of dollars from his window-washing inventions but needed $40,000 in cash to access the money without paying taxes.

He told another investor he needed money to access $9 million his father had left him in an overseas account.

In all, Denson bilked seven people out of nearly $80,000, but only four victims sought restitution, according to court records.