A Georgia man spent months believing he was engaged to a female sheriff’s deputy he had never met, only to discover the persona was completely made up by a 25-year-old South Carolina man, according to local officials.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is actively investigating the catfishing operation, which used false images and identities to swindle unsuspecting victims of money and property.
Caleb Mills, 25, of South Carolina, was arrested on July 20, 2026, for identity fraud with counterfeit identifying information, impersonating a public officer, offering a false name to law enforcement, and two counts of making false statements in a government affair.
Investigators believe Mills created the fictitious online persona “Hailey Morello” using stolen images of a genuine Florida sheriff’s officer, artificial intelligence, voice-changing technologies, and various phone numbers.
One Georgia victim believed he was in a legitimate relationship with Morello, transferring money and even exchanging automobiles with Mills.
The victim’s family were worried that their relative had succumbed to an online hoax. After tying the online profile to Mills, family members tried to warn him, but he refused to trust them. When family continually contacted Mills to intervene, Mills filed a harassment complaint with the police, posing as Morello’s relative.
That report sparked a police inquiry, which rapidly exposed the plan. Officers reported that Mills provided investigators the fictitious identity “Alex Morello” before being arrested.
“Mills allegedly used photos taken from women’s social media accounts to create fake identities and accounts … to establish online relationships with victims,” the department said. “Detectives have identified additional victims across multiple states.”
Investigators believe there could be more victims linked to the multi-state operation.
“As technology and artificial intelligence continue to evolve, online scams and catfishing schemes can become increasingly sophisticated,” the ACCPD statement said. “If you believe you may be a victim of this investigation or any other fraudulent activity, please contact the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and file a report.”