Patricia G. Sullivan, 66, and Sharon D. Johnson, 50, both of Columbia, South Carolina, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Greenville to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a crime carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case, prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, exposes a brazen scam built on lies, fake documents, and the false promise of Hollywood riches.
Sullivan, once the postmaster of Greenville County, ran a vanity press called HYPD Publishing. In March 2009, the company published Johnson’s book, ‘The Struggle of Love.’ That’s where the truth ended. Soon after, Sullivan and Johnson began telling victims that Tyler Perry had purchased the rights for a movie or reality TV show starring Johnson—a claim entirely fabricated from the start.
To sell the lie, the pair spun tales of imminent wealth and demanded ‘bridge loans’ or investments to tide them over until the fictional payday arrived. They promised huge returns. Victims, lured by dreams of insider access to a celebrity empire, handed over cash—totaling approximately $300,000 in losses, according to federal investigators.
Photos posted to Facebook showed the duo posing in luxury homes they didn’t own—mansions they’d squat in just long enough to snap pictures and project an image of success. They forged accounting documents that claimed a massive payout was pending and even faked a Wells Fargo bank statement showing millions in reserve. None of it was real. There was no deal with Tyler Perry. No studio backing. Just empty promises and stolen money.
U.S. District Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence both women after reviewing the presentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. Each faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
The investigation was led by the United States Postal Inspection Service, highlighting the role of postal authorities in financial crimes involving interstate communications. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins handled the prosecution in the Greenville office. U.S. Attorney Beth Drake emphasized that fraud schemes like this exploit trust and desperation—and those who run them will be held accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- Myrtle Beach Attorney McAdams Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud · South Carolina
- Ricky Costello Williams Sentenced in Tax Fraud Scheme · North Carolina
- Willie May Ford Gets 51 Months for Tax Fraud Scheme · Alabama
- Fort Mill Man Jailed in $285K Lexmark Fraud Scheme · South Carolina
- Theresa A. Freeman Sentenced in $43K Unemployment Fraud Scheme · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: South Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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