A Miramar man has been caught red-handed in a brazen scheme to defraud a Lynchburg doctor out of nearly half a million dollars.
Tommie Lee Nelson, 65, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of wire fraud, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, Nelson represented himself to the victim as a ‘hard money’ lender who could assist in purchasing a commercial building in Danville, Virginia, in partnership with an agricultural cooperative.
However, instead of using the payments to purchase the building, Nelson spent the money at casinos and for his personal benefit.
The scheme, which began around April 2020, ultimately resulted in the victim wiring Nelson almost $500,000 from July 2020 to 2021.
By 2021, the purchase agreement had fallen through, and Nelson stopped responding to the victim’s calls.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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