Related Federal Cases
Defendant’s Web of Deceit: Johna Loreen Vandemore Sentenced for Mail Fraud
DAVENPORT, IA – In a shocking case of deceit and financial manipulation, Johna Loreen Vandemore, also known as Johna Volger and Johna Ratliff, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in a mail fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.
According to court documents, Vandemore, 34, targeted a victim with whom she had a short-term relationship in 2007. She informed the victim that she was pregnant and demanded a lump sum of money or threatened to take him to court for more financial support. There was no child.
The victim, desperate to provide for the imaginary child, agreed to make monthly payments of $1,000 plus all child-related monthly expenses. However, Vandemore took the ruse further by providing a falsified birth certificate from a non-existent hospital, as well as a false medical bill purporting to reflect past treatment of the fictitious child.
When the victim requested pictures of the child, Vandemore solicited pictures of a family member’s daughter and forwarded them to the victim, misrepresenting them to be her child with the victim. Despite living in Maquoketa, Vandemore directed the victim to make payments to a post office box in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Her husband discovered and questioned her receipt of monthly $1,000 checks, to which she lied, stating they were residual compensation from prior sales made with Herbalife. From August 5, 2007 to October 1, 2013, Vandemore received over 90 separate payments from the victim for a total of $95,850.00.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Bettendorf, Iowa, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
As part of her sentence, Vandemore was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following her imprisonment and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund. The victim, who suffered significant financial losses, will receive the $95,850 in restitution.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of financial manipulation and the importance of vigilance in protecting oneself from such schemes.
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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