DEWEY BEACH, Del. -A woman who was purchasing property in Dewey Beach has filed a federal lawsuit after more than $2.2 million in closing funds were diverted through what court records describe as a fraudulent email scheme.
Johanna Berkowitz filed the complaint Jan. 29 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against John Doe Nos. 1–100, seeking to identify the people responsible and recover $2,209,240.11 that was wired to a bank account controlled by fraudsters.
According to the complaint, Berkowitz was under contract to buy real estate in Dewey Beach for $2.2 million, with closing scheduled for Nov. 21, 2025. On Nov. 17, 2025, she confirmed the final amount required to close as $2,209,240.11 with her real estate agent and brokerage, Charles Schwab.
On Nov. 19, 2025, Berkowitz received a settlement statement listing the same amount due. That same day, she received what the lawsuit describes as a spoofed email from title.closer.office@gmail.com, purporting to be from a real estate coordinator at the law firm representing her in the transaction.
The email provided wire instructions directing the closing funds to a Truist Bank account allegedly controlled by fraudsters.
Berkowitz’s brokerage, Schwab, processed the outgoing wire transfer Nov. 19, 2025, and confirmed the transfer of $2,209,240.11, the complaint states. Truist Bank later confirmed receipt of the funds into the account identified in the email.
According to the lawsuit, Truist reported that the funds were immediately withdrawn or redirected elsewhere.
The complaint alleges that unknown individuals gained unauthorized access to email communications or related systems involved in the closing process, allowing them to divert the money. Berkowitz claims the fraud involved access to “protected computer(s)” used in interstate commerce.
The lawsuit asserts violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Stored Communications Act and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. It also includes state law claims for conversion, trespass to chattels and unjust enrichment.
Berkowitz is seeking damages of no less than $2,209,240.11, along with punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, interest and injunctive relief. She is also asking the court to order the forfeiture of any property used to carry out the alleged scheme and to require the return of any stolen data.
Court records show preservation demands were issued to financial institutions and others involved in the closing beginning Nov. 26, 2025, and continued Dec. 3, 2025, as part of efforts to identify those responsible through banking records and IP logs.