SAN ANTONIO, TX – The golden years turned to fool’s gold for a number of Texas couples as two iCore Global LLC executives confessed to running a multi-million dollar fraud scheme, preying on those nearing retirement. Samantha L. Mueting, 57, of San Antonio and Josephus De Laat, aka Jos De Laat, 61, of Spicewood, pleaded guilty this week to charges stemming from the elaborate con.
According to court documents, Mueting, the owner and operator of iCore Global LLC, and De Laat, the company’s chief financial officer, conspired to steal over $2.1 million from investors. They pitched iCore as a multinational commercial real estate powerhouse, promising to invest victims’ funds into a lucrative hedge fund. Instead, the money lined their own pockets.
The indictment paints a picture of brazen deception. Mueting boldly claimed iCore operated in 64 countries, boasted 156 offices, managed hundreds of billions in assets, and employed thousands. The reality? iCore’s “headquarters” was a P.O. Box at a shipping company in Helotes, and the company rarely had more than six employees on the payroll. It was a house of cards built on lies, targeting vulnerable individuals hoping to secure their futures.
On July 1, 2022, Mueting pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. She’s scheduled to face sentencing on October 4, 2022, and could receive up to 20 years behind bars. De Laat followed suit today, admitting guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentencing is slated for October 18, 2022, with the same potential 20-year penalty looming.
This isn’t a closed case, however. A third codefendant remains charged with both conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud and is scheduled to stand trial on August 29, 2022. U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Paul Duran announced the guilty pleas.
The U.S. Secret Service is leading the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey and Gregory Surovic handling the prosecution. It’s a stark reminder that even those nearing retirement are not immune to the reach of predatory fraudsters. As always, an indictment is simply an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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