Scammer Jason Van Eman, who pretended to be an indie entertainment producer to defraud investors, was sentenced Thursday to 262 months in prison in a federal court in Miami, Florida.
A 44-year-old former actor and aspiring producer from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was convicted of his role in a funding scheme that defrauded investors of over $ 60 million. The defendant was also sentenced to pay more than $ 9 million in restitution to some victims.
The ruling comes after a federal jury in May found Van Eman guilty of conspiracy, computer fraud and money laundering.
According to evidence, Van Eman has presented himself as a film producer and financier, offering to finance independent films, Broadway shows, music festivals and other productions. Van Eman promised the victims (producers and others seeking funding) that his partner (a partner named Benjamin McConley) would match the money the victims contributed to his projects.
Then, along with the start-up capital (which made the projects more attractive to investors), McConnell solicited and secured funding from financial institutions.
Based on these lies, victims sent more than $ 60 million to scammers-controlled accounts. Contrary to what Van Eman promised to his victims, his partner never paid their contributions in cash or applied for funding. Instead, Van Eman and his accomplices stole the victims’ money by transferring it to their personal and corporate bank accounts, often within days of deposits.
To make the scam more credible, Van Eman and McConley hired Benjamin Raphael, a bank employee whose role was to convince victims that their cash deposits matched and that their money was safe, neither was it. true.
Van Eman, McConley and Raphael used the stolen money to purchase luxury cars, jet skis, real estate, jewelry, home furniture, designer clothing, hotel accommodations, and private and commercial air travel. Van Eman used some of the stolen money to finance films in which he is an actor.
Juan Antonio González, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John J. Bernardo, Interim Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the sentence handed down by US District Judge Raag Singhal.
The FBI Field Unit in Miami investigated the case. US assistant prosecutors Christopher Brown and Jessel Valdes pursued the case. US Assistant Attorney Emily Stone is handling the confiscation of assets.
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Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
