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Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding an Elderly Veteran
Shawn Phillips, a 44-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison following his conviction for wire fraud. The crime took place from January 2020 to May 2021, during which time Phillips defrauded an elderly veteran out of $50,718.
According to court documents, Phillips befriended the victim and took advantage of that friendship to steal the money. He convinced the victim to loan him the money by claiming he needed to borrow it until his large inheritance came in. However, unbeknownst to the victim, Phillips was not expecting any inheritance.
Even when Phillips left Baton Rouge and moved to Georgia, he continued his scheme, convincing the victim to send 43 wire transfers from Baton Rouge to Georgia to fund his lifestyle there. Throughout the course of the scheme, Phillips continued his fraudulent assertion that he was waiting on an inheritance, even at points claiming to need additional money from the victim to get the ‘inheritance’ out of the court system.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Elder Justice Coordinator for the Middle District of Louisiana.
The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
Defendant: Shawn Phillips
Criminal Charges: Wire Fraud
City and State: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Date: Not specified
Sentence: 33 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $50,718 in restitution
Dollar Amount: $50,718
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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