SALT LAKE CITY – A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment Thursday afternoon charging eight individuals in connection with an alleged fraud scheme to obtain money and assets from an 80-year-old widow who lives in Washington, Utah.
The indictment was unsealed Tuesday afternoon. The indictment alleges the defendants, who have family relationships, conspired to obtain money and assets from the victim in exchange for false promises to perform work on her property.
To further advance the scheme, one of the defendants engaged in romance fraud by enticing the victim to enter into a romantic relationship. He used the romantic relationship to manipulate the victim into giving him money and assets.
The indictment includes one count of wire fraud conspiracy, five counts of money laundering conspiracy – spending, two counts of destruction or concealment of records and tangible objects in a federal investigation, one count of concealment of a document or object, and one count of tampering with a witness or victim.
Seven of the eight defendants are in custody. Shepherd will have an initial appearance on the indictment in California Wednesday. Frank Powell, Faye Ann Renteria, Gloria Powell, Rocky Mott, Taz Powell, and Angela McDuffie will have an initial appearance on the indictment at 9 a.m. Thursday in St. George, Utah, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler.
The indictment alleges that starting around March 2019 through October 2019, several of the defendants began soliciting payments from L.N. by offering to perform routine repairs and odd jobs on her property. The victim paid the defendants at least $273,849.20, both indirectly and directly, for this work.
Frank Powell engaged in the romance fraud scam with the victim and told L.N. that he intended to marry her while maintaining a domestic partnership with Renteria. According to the indictment, he is legally married to another woman not involved in the conspiracy.
Related Federal Cases
- Deny De La Cruz Rodriguez, Possession of Stolen Firearm, Utah 2024 · Washington
- Butte Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Massive Meth, Fentanyl Scheme · Washington
- Leland Fishback, COVID-Relief Fraud, Utah 2024 · Washington
- Oluwole Adegboruwa, Oxycodone Trafficking, Utah 2019 · Washington
- Stephanie Lynn Fahlgren, Mail Access Device Scheme, California 2024 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Utah
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News