MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – A ruthless Healdton woman has been brought to justice for her brazen scheme to extort a retiree out of $1.05 million.
Amber Nicole Pickelsimer, 45, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for one count of Wire Fraud. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Pickelsimer was also ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $1,050,000. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to court documents, Pickelsimer targeted a retired acquaintance through a blackmail scheme perpetrated over nineteen months between 2019 and 2020. She created fake Facebook accounts and used those accounts to extort money from the victim, threatening to release damaging material about a family member unless the victim delivered large quantities of money to a drop site.
Pickelsimer initiated contact with the victim through one of the fake accounts, then created an additional fake Facebook account and multiple false personas to send messages to threaten the victim into making additional payments. The victim was left financially and emotionally devastated by the ordeal.
‘We take extortion threats very seriously and will investigate them to the fullest extent of federal law,’ said Acting Special Agent in Charge Sonia Garcia of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. ‘The criminals who think they can extort innocent people should know there will be consequences.’
Pickelsimer will self-report on June 13, 2024, to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant United States Attorney Kara Traster represented the United States in the case.
‘Online extortion can be financially and emotionally devastating, but it can be stopped,’ said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. ‘If you believe you or someone you know is the target of cyberextortion or blackmail, do not be afraid to reach out for help.’
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT. Call 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) or file a complaint at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice and select ‘Elder Fraud.’
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Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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