Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have announced charges against two individuals accused of defrauding a Connecticut resident. A federal grand jury in New Haven has indicted Marc Anthony Alexander, 44, formerly from Milford, and Melanie Ham, 40, from Norwalk.
According to the indictment, "Traveling Graces, LLC" was registered with the State of Connecticut in 2022 with Ham as its registered agent and "Dr. Marc Anthony Alexander" as its manager. Between July 2023 and December 2023, Alexander and Ham allegedly misled a Connecticut resident into believing that Traveling Graces was a legitimate business seeking investors. The victim provided them with two bank checks totaling $167,000 which were reportedly used for personal purposes by Alexander and Ham.
The indictment includes one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud against both individuals. Each charge carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
The indictment was returned on April 22, 2025. Alexander appeared in Hartford federal court recently and pleaded not guilty to all charges; he remains in federal custody. Meanwhile, Ham also pleaded not guilty earlier and is currently out on a $100,000 bond.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman emphasized that an indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt: "Charges are only allegations," he stated. "Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller is prosecuting the case.
