May Cristobal have mercy on his soul.A Kirkwood con artist has been convicted of federal fraud charges for tricking investors into giving him money that he secretly used to cover his own expenses, including payments to the online dating site FunForSingles.com, authorities say.
To reassure his victims, 45-year-old Robert "Robbie" Beyer II created a fake financial backer he named Jesus Cristobal, a wealthy (but imaginary) South American money man who was supposedly bankrolling Beyer's bogus non-profit foundation.
Beyer promised safe investments and returns of eight to eighteen percent to lure his marks.
Investors lost nearly $300,000 entrusted to Beyer and his Hero Life Assurance Foundation, prosecutors say.
Beyer was arrested by federal agents in October 2014, and a series of bizarre developments followed.…