Juliet Bickford |
NORFOLK
They met on a beach in the Bahamas in 2006 and dated on and off for years. He, a suave Canadian with Greek roots. She, a bubbly blonde television news anchor.
By 2009, Theodoros “Terry” Grontis was sharing a Hampton home with Juliet Bickford. They quickly began spending lavishly – leasing expensive sports cars, buying fancy clothes and jewelry, and traveling often.
But federal authorities say the money was ill gotten. They say Grontis and two others bilked crime victims, divorcees and even one lottery winner out of more than $1 million.
Bickford’s bank account became key to laundering the money, according to court records.
When federal agents came calling in 2011, Grontis took off. The authorities believe he is in hiding in Greece.
The two accomplices, also Canadians, have admitted the crimes and will be sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court here.
Bickford, 35, is scheduled to plead guilty to a related tax crime Wednesday morning. She has been cooperating with the authorities, court records indicate, and resigned from her job at WTKR last week.
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