Wire Fraud

Edward Zimbardi, a man from Flowery Branch, Georgia, was deported from Fiji to face charges in Los Angeles. He is accused of running a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that allegedly defrauded more than 6,000 investors and caused over $165 million in losses. Zimbardi was indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena was charged with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly obtaining a $1.5 million COVID-19 small-business loan intended for his tire sales business. Prosecutors accuse DePena of using the funds instead to pay off high-interest mortgages, personal taxes, and to fund his mayoral campaign ahead of the 2021 election. The charges stem from accusations that he misappropriated government funds meant to support businesses during the pandemic.

A federal judge ruled that Luke Brugnara must remain detained without bail pending trial due to a history of evading court appearances and failing to appear at a bond revocation hearing. Brugnara was facing charges related to a 2021 fraud scheme where he submitted fraudulent loan applications for $400,000 through his company, Brugnara Corporation. This follows an arrest in January 2024 after he was found possessing a firearm and threatening people near Thornton State Beach.

Connor Riley Moucka pleaded guilty in Seattle federal court to computer fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft concerning 2024 breaches of Snowflake customer accounts. The intrusions exposed records belonging to at least 100 million people and affected a minimum of 165 organizations. Moucka, who is from Kitchener, Ontario, personally took at least $495,000.

A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to four charges, including computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy, following a data breach at Snowflake Inc. He was involved in stealing data and extorting millions.

A stepfather became a victim of wire fraud after a large unauthorized transaction occurred from his Bank of America account. The bank refused to investigate further, citing the transaction originated from his IP address, while the receiving PNC Bank account is now frozen by authorities.

A federal judge revoked the bail of Luke Brugnara, a real estate investor, after he evaded a bench warrant and threatened to shoot people at Thornton State Beach. Brugnara faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering related to a pandemic-era fraud scheme and was recently arrested for firearm possession and making shooting threats.

Eugene 'Big U' Henley Jr., a South Los Angeles hip-hop entrepreneur and alleged gang member, faces new federal charges including witness tampering, sex trafficking, and wire fraud. Prosecutors allege he attempted to pay inmates to harm a potential witness and engaged in extortion and violent intimidation against a music promoter and a Grammy-winning artist.

Film producer Jason Cloth, who financed movies like 'Joker' and 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife', has been indicted by a federal grand jury on wire fraud charges. Prosecutors allege he orchestrated a $100 million Ponzi scheme tied to movie funding.

Lori Zeno, co-founder of Queens Defenders, was sentenced to 43 months in prison for stealing over $60,000 from the organization and using her position to secure no-show jobs for her ex-husband Rashad Ruhani’s associates. The scandal led to the collapse of Queens Defenders, resulting in significant financial losses and service gaps for indigent clients.

A South Florida woman captured in Jamaica after fleeing was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering related to a scheme that fraudulently obtained over $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. The FBI's West Palm Beach agency is investigating.

An Austin man was sentenced for wire fraud and money laundering related to a $1M scheme. The sentencing occurred on Wednesday, as part of a legal case involving financial crimes.

A former Big Ten Network employee was sentenced to federal prison for wire fraud involving $4 million in Apple products purchased with company funds and resold. The individual pleaded guilty to the scheme described in the article.

A businessman is charged with wire fraud for allegedly scamming investors in a $3B sports complex project near DTW, using funds for personal expenses instead of development. The FBI is seeking investors who contributed to the scheme.

Kenneth Bardwell, chairman and CEO of Motown Sports Group Holdings, faces federal wire fraud charges for allegedly misusing millions of dollars from investors intended for a proposed $3 billion sports complex near Detroit Metro Airport. The funds were allegedly spent on personal expenses like strip clubs, luxury goods, and travel instead of the project.

A Tennessee woman was sentenced for a wire fraud scheme involving fake property deeds for residential real estate in North Carolina. The scheme occurred between October 2022 and August 2024, affecting properties in the Charlotte area.

A judge approved a deferred prosecution agreement for Heather Bergdahl, a former Loretto Hospital executive charged with wire fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering. The deal could dismiss charges if Bergdahl meets unspecified conditions within a year, while similar agreements are expected for other executives involved in a scheme to embezzle millions from the hospital.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking to dismiss charges against Matthew Goettsche, who was accused of involvement in a $722 million BitClub fraud. He was scheduled to face trial in October for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and selling unregistered securities.

Posh George, a baby-faced aristocrat and Reform donor, served jail time for wire fraud and lost £16million in a single poker game. The article suggests his actions could position him as a potential rival to Farage.

A woman involved with Minneapolis day care fraud and the Feeding Our Future scheme pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

A federal grand jury has indicted Democratic Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband on wire fraud charges. The article also discusses the protecting renters ordinance.

Abdifitah Mohamud Mohamed, linked to Brilliant Minds LLC, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) Medicaid fraud case. The HSS program, designed to assist vulnerable adults with housing, has been plagued by fraud allegations, leading to over $2.3 million in fraudulent billings for Mohamed's group and up to $100 million annually from providers. Federal authorities have halted payments to multiple providers and plan to terminate the HSS program.

Jacob Wise, a 29-year-old from Riverview, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after embezzling over $1.1 million from a small business where he worked. He diverted funds to controlled accounts posing as vendors and used the money for purchases, including a Ford F-150. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce fined Seguro Medico and its owner Arthur Walsh $150,000 for misleading consumers about health insurance coverage by selling plans with limited benefits. A 2025 federal indictment alleged the company and Walsh engaged in a nationwide bait-and-switch scheme involving unlicensed agents and wire fraud.

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, mayor of Jackson in November 2024, pleaded guilty to bribery, wire fraud, and money laundering charges following an FBI investigation and sting operation. He had previously described the case as a 'political prosecution'.

Jason Lottman, the former owner of Champagne Manor in Union County, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after defrauding customers and investors of over $1 million. He falsely promised ownership interests and guaranteed returns while the venue faced financial distress leading to foreclosure.

Four men are facing federal charges for allegedly selling fake military parts to the Defense Logistics Agency, resulting in wire fraud and money laundering indictments.

A Concord sports memorabilia dealer was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for selling a baseball bat falsely claimed to have been used by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series. The individual pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December 2025.

Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui was sentenced to 30 years in a US prison for fraud after being convicted on nine charges including money laundering. He was arrested in 2023 and found guilty in 2024 for defrauding thousands of over $1bn.

A Nigerian man, Mr. Nwadialo, was sentenced to five years in a US prison for a romance scam that defrauded victims of $3.5 million. He was convicted on 14 counts of wire fraud targeting elderly, widowed, or divorced individuals.

Said Abdullahi Ereg turned himself in to the FBI and faces charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in a $4 million pandemic fraud case. The case is linked to Minneapolis.

Murielle Miczak admitted to stealing over $2.75 million from a Brooklyn daycare center where she previously worked. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud in court.

The Trump administration's Department of Justice will denaturalize 17 U.S. citizens convicted of crimes including healthcare fraud, wire fraud, and other unlawful conduct. The move is described as a rare action to strip citizenship from individuals with criminal convictions.

The FBI has added Elaine Escoe, a South Florida woman, to its Most Wanted Fraudster list for allegedly orchestrating a $32 million scheme involving fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications. She faces charges including wire fraud and money laundering, with a reward of up to $150,000 offered for information leading to her arrest.

A federal jury in Maryland convicted an Annapolis man of wire fraud for using customer funds on personal expenses instead of private jets. The case involved the founder of AeroVanti, who promised private jets but delivered fraud.

Star Rana Jackson, employed at the American Indian Center of Arkansas for over ten years, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for wire fraud involving the theft of more than $1.7 million from the organization. The organization is federally funded, and Jackson held the position of Executive Director before her termination.

A federal grand jury indicted Titianna Ammons of Urbana, Illinois, on three counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding the U.S. Department of Labor and Illinois Department of Employment Security between October 2020 and October 2021.

The founder of Addiction Recovery Care has been indicted for wire fraud and money laundering. The charges involve allegations of financial misconduct.

A Maryland man was convicted of wire fraud in a private-jet service scheme that defrauded customers of $15 million. The federal jury in Baltimore found Patrick Britton-Harr guilty on six counts.

Polymarket is terminating its paid relationship with George Santos as federal regulators investigate whether he illegally bet against his own attendance at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union. Santos placed the bets on Kalshi after publicly committing to attend the event, and the trades were referred to the Commodities Future Trading Commission for possible insider trading. Santos, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, now works as an influencer for Polymarket.