'Internet Black Widow' sentenced

Monday, March 14, 2005

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Friedrich has been in trouble with the law before.

A woman with a long criminal history learned her fate Monday for stealing almost $20,000 from a Pinellas Park man.

Melissa Friedrich, nicknamed the "Internet Black Widow," pled guilty to grand theft charges in exchange for five years of prison time. If the 69-year old woman had gone to trial and was convicted, she would have spent the rest of her life in prison.

"I was happy to get five years," said the victim, Alex Strategos. "I would have liked to have more for her, but at her age, five years will be plenty."

Friedrich moved in with Strategos shortly after they met on the Internet. During a two-month stay, the 73-year old man was hospitalized five or six times.

"She would drug me at night and I would get up in the middle of the night and fall on my face," said Strategos.

Friedrich was convicted in 1992 for drugging and killing her husband in Canada. She served prison time and then went to Florida.

The family of her second husband, in Bradenton, also accused Friedrich of killing him, but she was never prosecuted.

Strategos, right, feels lucky to be alive.

Strategos thought he would realize the same fate, even though detectives did not have enough evidence to prove anything beyond the grand theft charges.

"The hospital found the drugs in my system," said Strategos. "But it would have been too difficult to prove. There's no witnesses."

Strategos admitted in court he felt a little bit sorry for the woman who caused him so much pain.

"She was like a two-face," said Strategos. "She was nice, but she was stealing from me."

Friedrich won't go home after serving the five years. She has a warrant out for her arrest in Canada for social security fraud. Also, INS has a hold on her for entering the U.S. illegally.

Even though his money is gone, Strategos feels fortunate to be alive.

"Well, I'm here," said Strategos. "That's why I'm lucky."

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