Cedric Wormely, Wire Fraud, Vermont 2025

Birmingham Man Indicted for Wire Fraud Scheme

A Birmingham, Alabama man has been charged with 10 counts of wire fraud in connection with an alleged romance fraud scheme. Cedric Wormely, 58, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 2, 2025.

According to court records, Wormely had been previously charged by criminal complaint in September 2024. He entered a plea of not guilty during an arraignment on February 3, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Wormely be detained during the pendency of this matter.

Wormely is alleged to have devised a scheme to defraud a Vermont-based victim by inducing her to send him money by falsely presenting himself as a New England man who lived in the Cumberland, Maine area, who had been employed for decades, and who had a romantic interest in the victim.

The two began what the victim believed to be a genuine romantic relationship. Wormely allegedly told the victim that while he had a pension, he was having difficulty accessing it and needed the victim’s financial support for a large construction job that he had taken on in Mississippi. Based on promises that Wormely would repay her, and the victim’s belief that Wormely’s romantic intentions and business opportunities were legitimate, the victim transferred over $100,000 to Wormely via money transfer applications and wire transfers.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Wormely is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Wormely faces up to twenty years’ incarceration and a fine up to $250,000 if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

Wormely is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth. The United States Secret Service and the United States Attorney’s Office encourage any individual who believes they may have been a victim of similar offenses to contact the United States Secret Service via email at USSSBurlingtonVT@usss.dhs.gov or by telephone at (802) 651-4091.

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