An elderly woman was left financially devastated after helping who she thought were people injured in a vehicle crash only to learn it was an elaborate fraud spanning six years.
Now the person behind the scheme – Shayna Williams, 51, of Westfield – has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.
Williams is accused of receiving more than $670,000 during the years, despite knowing the woman was going into significant debt to send the money. From 2018 to 2024, the victim gave Williams about $500,000. To pay Williams, the victim took out loans, borrowed money from a friend, obtained a second mortgage and got another job as a delivery driver. After the car crash, the victim told Williams she had been scammed before.
Investigators say Williams was able to perpetuate the scheme by telling the victim that her daughter suffered severe back injuries in a vehicle crash, requiring “costly surgery and specialized medical equipment,” a news release from the Department of Justice states.
To keep the scheme going, Williams is accused of impersonating insurance agents and using fake phone numbers to communicate with the victim, falsely saying she’d be reimbursed if she continue to make the payments.
Williams spent the money on restaurants, travel and gambling, according to the plea agreement. Williams told the victim she needed funding for expensive medical treatment for herself and her daughter. Impersonating insurance agents attempting to resolve issues with hospital bills, Williams told the elderly victim she would be reimbursed.
A friend of the victim also sent Williams an additional $170,000, federal prosecutors allege.
The maximum prison sentence for wire fraud is 20 years, and Williams owes the victims more than $672,000.
Aubrey Wright is a breaking news reporter for the Indy Star. She can be reached at amwright@indystar.com.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Westfield woman pleads guilty to $672k fraud targeting elderly woman
Reporting by Aubrey Wright, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Aubrey Wright, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
