⏱ 2 min read
Luis Emilio Hernandez, a 45-year-old Naples man, pleaded guilty to scamming an 85-year-old Hurricane Ian victim out of $1.2 million in Naples, Florida, following the devastating storm in 2022. Hernandez convinced the elderly victim to write him personal checks for construction materials and repairs that were never performed. Instead, he cashed the checks for his own personal gain. The motive behind the scam appears to be financial gain, as Hernandez did not hold a contractor’s license in Florida and no permits were ever pulled for any of the alleged work.
According to court records, Hernandez continued to contact the victim even after they sold their home and it was demolished, luring them into providing additional funds through text messages and personal visits to their assisted living residence. To conceal the source of the funds, Hernandez laundered the victim’s money by purchasing and flipping vehicles at multiple car dealerships throughout the area.
Hernandez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each of the two wire fraud counts and up to 10 years for each of the six money laundering counts. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of over $1.2 million and other assets traceable to the proceeds of the offenses. A sentencing date has not been set.
The case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the guilty plea.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Florida
- Location: US
- Source: DOJ Press Release
