Dennis SanSeverino is in jail. Trish Rynn, from whom he scammed more than $350,000, put him there. How did she do it? Legwork and persistence.
Lovefraud initially posted this case on our True Lovefraud Stories page in February 2008. The headline is, First he flashes wads of cash, then he steals her home and inheritance. That pretty much sums up what happened to Trish Rynn.
Unfortunately, Lovefraud has heard from plenty of people with similar experiences. They fell in love with the sociopath, trusted him or her, and lost everything. The difference with this case, however, is that Trish Rynn fought back. She reported him to New Jersey law enforcement authorities and actually got him prosecuted. When the case went to trial, SanSeverino pleaded guilty to taking $275,000 from Trish, his former fiancé. He was put on probation and ordered to pay restitution of $2,000 per month. He complied, sort of, for awhile, and then stopped paying—violating the terms of his probation.
Violation of probation
At that point, the authorities probably would have done nothing to force him to pay. That’s when Trish really went into action. She kept calling the guy’s probation officer. She hounded the prosecutor. She wanted the guy to pay—or go to jail.
SanSeverino was ordered to appear for a violation of probation hearing in early February 2008. Trish took off of work to be there, but the case was postponed. This happened multiple times over the next seven months—the case was scheduled, Trish arranged to be there, and the hearing never happened. Finally, the hearing actually took place on September 26, 2008—almost a year ago. SanSeverino didn’t show up and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The guy was a fugitive.
Legal authorities were not exactly energetic in pursuing SanSeverino. But in April 2009, he was pulled over in Pennsylvania on a traffic violation, gave a fake name, and was arrested for falsifying his identity.
About the same time, coincidentally, Trish heard from a woman who met SanSeverino at a casino in Delaware. This prompted Trish to call the New Jersey sheriff’s department handling the case. The officers checked their computers and discovered, to their surprise, that SanSeverino was in custody in Pennsylvania. So after he served his time there, he was sent back to New Jersey. His long-delayed violation of parole hearing took place on July 2, 2009.
Sentenced to prison
SanSeverino tried to talk his way out of going to jail. He acted remorseful. He said he was going to “live in darkness” until he paid Trish back. He needed Trish to forgive him. The judge, Susan F. Maven, didn’t buy the act and sentenced SanSeverino to five years in prison.
Maybe, if the people of New Jersey are lucky, SanSeverino will serve at least half of his sentence. Because the only real benefit of him being in prison is that it may make it difficult for the guy to find new victims.
For Trish, the damage has already been done. In the victim impact statement that she read in court, Trish said,
“I am 47 years old now and I am dead broke. I am still paying attorney fees from all of this and it is almost three years later. I am a single mother. I worked as a massage therapist for the past 20 years of my life and truthfully, I am physically ready to retire from my work because I am hurting and I have injuries to my shoulder and nerve damage. But I cannot retire because of what this man did to me.”
Trish also said she was angry because her daughter’s life has been sidetracked as well. With her inheritance, Trish could have sent her daughter to college. SanSeverino took the money, and her daughter dropped out.
Moral victory
I don’t know if any victim of a sociopath ever wins a satisfying victory. I beat my ex-husband, James Montgomery, in court. The judge found him guilty of fraud and awarded me all the money he took from me—$227,000—plus $1 million in punitive damages. I was never able to collect my judgment and ended up declaring bankruptcy anyway.
Still, I think it is valuable to pursue justice. Sometimes our efforts get the con artists off the street, at least for a little while, so that maybe someone else is saved. Sometimes the predators end up with a record, which, if a future victim is smart enough to investigate, also may prevent the sociopath from pulling another scam.
But mostly we need the moral victory. We did not roll over. We fought. And even if we did not recover the money or property that were taken from us, we can feel justly proud for recovering our self-esteem.
easp, congrats on getting rid of him for good.
My exP goes to oregon once in a while…I wonder whats going on in oregon?
My story as well is one of the true LF stories. Even though everyone told me to walk away, I couldn’t. Every other woman who had been scammed by this man had walked away, but I was not going to go away quietly. Through the court system I was granted a judgment against him for default of payment and then to collect,garnished his wages. Then to avoid that, he filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy; so I filed an adversary,claiming fraud. I won another judgment whereas a chunk of money will be non-discharged from the bankruptcy and it will still be owed to me when the bankruptcy is over (if not paid off before). This all took place in a span of 3 1/2 years. I now get a check every month from the bankruptcy trustee, and will for 3 more years as long as funds are deposited.
I will never get back all that he owes me; I have spent more money on attorneys fees then what I will receive; and I will forever be paying that bill. BUT after all is said and done, it is a moral and emotional victory for me; because he has been exposed and the court agreed with me that I was defrauded, and is going to hold him accountable. In my world, he did not get away with it!
At one point before the trial, when I thought that things were looking kind of bleak, I told my attorney that I was going for broke. That someday I may have to file bankruptcy myself, but I was not going to stop until I had exhausted all my options. I have acheived what I set out to do, and will never have to kick myself later for not following through.
I know not every one is in the financial postion to do what I did, but I also knocked on many doors. Some could help me, others just listened. Donna and LF was a big help. Thank you!! I am not crazy!!
I wish for everyone, that has been emotionally and/or financially devastated by a S, the ability to heal and some day find peace in their life – though I admit for me, it will probably be an ongoing process.
skylar, thanks for your comment, I am asking myself the same thing, I know that there are a lot of his victims in Oregon,I had made a report about him to the police in Oregon including a senior police person here also made a complaint about him, and never got a reply, when I inquired about, I was send a email the next day by the detective that they looked at the information I send them and he stated that this con did not commit a crime in the USA, well lucky the federal law enforcement thinks differently.
I just wish there was some one I could contact so that his antisemitic website and the other two he has could be shut down, the man is full of hatred and is even rewriting history by stating there was no Holocaust he belongs to a militia group, that is dangerous. I found a lot of stuff about him on the internet, I wish I would have known about him before I ever replied to his first email, if he thinks I am that far away and would not find out about him , that was his biggest mistake,
he obviously did not know how resource full I am. Just think he come to Australia with no money as I found out all to late, he lived here for nothing as he did not pay anything, he was always telling me that his former partner stole his “six figure” income and that he would get his money and website back that she “stole” from him and he would pay me back. I found the former partner in Oregon and she never stole a thing it was her website, he abused her and her son for six years, whilst he was also on with several other women in Oregon.
This women is still a wreck and hurt by him, he stole 6 years of her live. I lost only about 18 month and live becomes very pressures as we get older, but one thing I must say, I thank this sinister sociopath for keeping my brain very active, at least I am getting exercise and will not get Alzheimer’s I hope.
The terrible thing is he claims to be American Indian and very spiritual, he is not Indian, it is a shame that he uses the Indians for his con as well.
EMJ170ORD, I am glad you did not walk away and try to forget, I was told the same by my friends, but they do not know what it is like to be a victim of such evil person, it is also part of the healing process, it is better to put all that hurt into something constructive and that is getting those sociopath /psychopath exposed, if some one would have done this years ago to expose them, there would not be so many victims that they leave along there trail.Many people still don’t understand that those S/P are professional and born criminals, they have no concision or morals.
I am only so pleased that I found Donna and her website, I have learned so much and it is so great to know that there is this support, and the best thing was when I realized that there are others out there that also have been victims of some one like that. To realize I was not alone.
I have to laugh these days when some tells me they meet this real nice person on the internet.
I am posting one of the many emails I received from another one of his victims, in the hope that some other victims are on this forum and will also come forward.also to show it as an example how cunning he is and others like him, there are pictures of him on the internet of what he really looks like and not the pictures he has on his website and sends to women on single sites. I hope that this will help some other unsuspecting victim.
Hello —–,So pleased to meet hear from you. I’d be pleased to meet you and talk to you about how we can live and work together. My job is much too much for one person to accomplish, and two hearts living and working as one would be a great benefit to me and to the people. More than that, our relationship of intense and passionate love could have implications beyond our imagination.I am completely capable of immense love and compassion. I love with integrity and honesty as a spiritual dedication to a mission I accepted 8 years ago. I now have a clearer understanding of what that mission means. Without a woman of your love and compassion for people and for me this mission could not be accomplished. I was promised a partner to share this dream dance. The fear of being beaten by me is totally unimaginable. WHO I AM permits only unimaginable love focused on you and with you. Little else matters.——
wrote: —–, am really excited to hear from you and i must confess that you have a lovely job, more about me, i grew up in —-where my mom and dad live and i have a kid brother, i left —-when i was 28 years old after the death of my late father, and i came to——- to live and work hard to be able to take care of my mom and kid brother, my work is great but i wish i could get another job if i had the opportunity and am looking for a caring and loving man thats gonna love me for me and not beat me always or cheat on me, i love to swim, read,listen to musci and play video games, so what else would you like to know about me? and whats your yahoo id do that we can chat on it———–
wrote: Hello——–, My name is ———-. I am a webmaster, teacher, and Internet marketer through my website, ————www.—— I’m —–and bring a message of spirit and dance a new dream for the people. I get 5 million hits each month and help people in many ways to get past illusions and find solutions.I’m also a Regional Currency Office for ———, a REAL money currency when our fake money from the Federal Reserve is falling badly. My territory is——–Recently I was named Chief Financial Officer for ———, a multi-trillion dollar charitable and humanitarian organization that is recovering assets stolen by forgery and embezzlement by many of the corrupt corporations, agencies and individuals in the world. We have foreclosed on banks, newspapers, mortgage lenders, title companies, insurance companies, auto dealerships, and government agencies as well as the WatchTower Society.I’m divorced and single. My kids are grown and on their own. I did a great job and so did my ex. love to write, sing, hike, walk the beach, run, weave dream catchers, gather sage, collect beautiful stones for my children’s book Grandfather Story Stones. Haven’t canoed or camped for a while, love to photograph nature and people, garden, play table tennis and much more. I live alone in ———-, soon to move to a 73 acre ranch nearby that I bought through the trust.——- , the primary trustee, lives in a motor home parked on my property and he has set up a temporary office on my front porch.I don’t have time or interest in head games. The Great Spirit has asked me to dance a new dream for the people and that has been both a joy and a challenge. But then I’m a Leo.All of my time is free time. I play at what some people call work because I love to help people and watch them grow in power and wisdom.The qualities that I seek in a woman is her spiritual approach to all facets of life. That would include integrity, clarity, open mind, an open heart, compassion, a passion to love with intensity, an ego-free and heart-directed intention to love, honor and respect all beings in the web of life. Her beauty shows in her being and the fruits of her actions. She walks the path of beauty in harmony within herself.I’d like to know more about you, —-, your business life and your internal weather. Let’s talk when you return. I am also on Yahoo messenger and we can talk forever by phone. I have unlimited long distance within the US.Perhaps we can soar together, ——, and dance the dream together.——
My name is ——, single female from ————- and am a business woman i supply packeges to companies, like clothings,footwears and electronics, love to ride a bike, swim, play games, hang out, read and listen to music, am on here for a serious relationship and not to play games, if you think you are here for a serious relationship too dont hesistate to reply me on my yahoo mail ————- becoz presently am out of the state to supply some packeges to the motherless homes in west africa and i would be back this month as soon as am through with the project. so tell me more about yourself……………..
Easp:
Wow….what a compliment….it humbles me to read your post…
Together….we will prevail….we will expose, we will protect oursleves, our children and our finances…..we will educate society, the courts, the healthcare field, the media…..
We will not be silenced….we will not be intimidated!
GIRL….you are an inspiration…..keep up the productive work you are doing…..not just for yourself….but for all of us here and the future victims we may meet soon enough.
Congratulations on an important job well done.
I am truely speechless and humbled by your post.
THANK YOU!
XXOO
EB
Swallow…
I’m so very glad that weight is lifted…..distance is a wonderful thing.
Feel safe, gather yourself and pick up the pieces.
Even though I think most of us would rather they all drove off a cliff together…..or whatever horrid thoughts we have shared…..
I share the relief you feel knowing they physically are as far away as they can get…..It is a comfort…..
Stay vigilant and aware…..but allow yourself to move onto the next phase of healing.
Sleep well!
XXOO
EMJ170ORD says:
WOW…..the strength we have is unbelievable…..I commend your fight!
We all do it for different reasons…….
I love your balls!
I am of the mindset……take em down!
You were vindicated in the system and paved the way for the next victim with all the ‘legal’ personell you came in contact with…..you EXPOSED the behaviors…..
This is what is so necessary……we all have to contribute in our own ways!
GO GIRL!!!!!
XXOO
Erin,I thank you for the encouragement and your comment.
When I set out last August the 27th 2008, after making sure he was on its way out oft his country,I set out to expose him where ever I can, not for myself alone but all the good and trusting women/man
to warn them. I was very lucky and as the Australian Federal police told me I could have lost every thing, it did not take them five minutes to tell me that he is a conman, and they actually ordered me not just told me, should he by any chance ever get back into this country and come to my door . I am to call the police immediately.
I was told by friends that he meet his match in me, I have this thing I live by, that is called persistence and honesty, I will leave no stone unturned until he and his gang are caught. I longer feel like a victim, but have the conviction to see that he is stopped , even if I help only one person by going on, that is one less victim and spared a lot of pain.
I am also concerned how he and his ” associates” taking money from people promising the that they can eliminate there debts, take money from them and once they have them sign on the dotted line, claim they are only giving them advice and are not legal people, from what I found it is quiet a hefty sum. He does not care if some of them commit suicide, as there in such a situation of loosing every thing and he is there last hope.
The way people are loosing there homes because of the financial disaster, he and his “associates” having a Banquet.
EASP:
I say “SHOW THEM WHAT YOUR INNER SOCIOPATH LOOKS LIKE”…Back at ya babe!
Go getem girl!!!
Have you heard my theme song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvWj18LeU1g
🙂