Sorry you had to deal with that stuff. Scams suck so much and having to deal with all that sounds so very emotionally draining. Glad to hear you're still in high spirits.
Seems you are getting some good feedback! I'll add a few cents to the group:
I think you're on the right track with the piece. Regarding Sephiroth's proportions, the only point I notice is that while your style is usually more realistic, anime proportions tend to exagerate things a bit for the sake of dramatics. For males I've noticed they just elongate proportions in general, that is, they still stick to the 7.5 head ratio, but modify the structure to make parts seem longer and more dramatic.
So using Sephiroth as an example, here's how it work out (I think @catsforsnacks already has some of this in his sketch):
I'm sticking to the same pose for easy comparison, but of course the pose will also contribute a lot to how it feel.
I think it's very subtle changes, but have a big impact on the overal pose
On regards to foreshortening, I've noticed there are a few styles to it, and each seems to fit depending on what you are going for, there's the "realistic" or standard way, where proportions match and the angle makes sense:
And then you have the stylized one for a much more dramatic effect, where proportions are exagerated.
And there are all types of shades in between. I think both are worth testing, and depending on the piece either can work.
Looking forward to the final piece!!
