THE woman accused in a Bitcoin fraud scheme has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of wire fraud.
At an arraignment Monday afternoon, Sze Man Yu Inos, also known as “Yuki,” through her court-appointed attorney Mark Scoggins, waived the formal reading of the charges and entered a not guilty plea.
District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy accepted the plea and scheduled a jury trial for Aug. 26 at 10 a.m.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Garth Backe, the prosecutor, requested an order of detention and informed the judge that there is a standing order already in place against the defendant.
Scoggins recommended that his client be released and stated he would file a formal motion for her release.
Judge Kennedy advised that any proposed third-party custodians must first be verified by the U.S. Probation Office.
Following the hearing, the judge remanded Inos to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Inos was indicted in federal court on allegations that she lured older women on Saipan and Guam into an elaborate scheme to solicit money and Bitcoin investments under false pretenses.
According to court documents, Inos was arrested in San Diego, California, on April 18, 2025, and transported to Saipan on June 23.
She faces eight counts of wire fraud. The indictment outlines specific instances in which Inos transmitted fraudulent messages to her victims.
The indictment stated that between Nov. 1, 2020 and Jan. 1, 2022, Inos devised and executed a scheme to defraud several individuals through false representations.
Inos is accused of targeting older women, befriending them by posing as a wealthy Chinese businesswoman. She allegedly treated them to expensive meals and gifts, while boasting about her supposed success in Bitcoin investments.
After gaining their trust, Inos would allegedly fabricate personal crises — such as marital problems or business setbacks — to solicit money and investments from her victims.
“Defendant would then confide in the women about supposed personal problems, such as her husband cheating on her, and share with them how much their friendship meant to her — often telling them, ‘You are like my mom,’” the indictment states. “Inevitably, however, she would request money from these women and/or solicit investments in Bitcoin based on false pretenses.”
Inos also allegedly claimed that U.S. Customs had seized over $2 million from her father and that she would repay her victims once the funds were returned.
In one case, she told a victim that she needed money to open a salon at the Hyatt on Guam.
In another, she allegedly said she had canceled her bank cards to prevent her husband from accessing their joint accounts and needed financial help.
The indictment states that Inos used messaging apps such as KakaoTalk and WhatsApp to send fake court orders and other fraudulent messages to her victims.
Her communications reportedly included fabricated stories about legal proceedings and financial troubles, all intended to extract money from her unsuspecting friends.
The indictment also includes a criminal forfeiture allegation, seeking the recovery of any property or proceeds obtained through the fraudulent scheme.
