A California woman, Lanette Bashore, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for running an advance fee fraud scheme that lasted over two decades. The court also ordered her to pay more than one million dollars in restitution to victims.
Federal authorities said that from 2001 through September 2023, Bashore falsely claimed she controlled a multi-million-dollar fortune. She told victims that the funds were inaccessible due to taxes and legal barriers and convinced them to send her thousands of dollars up front with promises of large returns once the fortune was "unlocked." According to investigators, there was no such fortune, and Bashore used the money for personal expenses and gambling.
Victims in New Mexico and other locations became suspicious over time and reported the activity. The FBI began an investigation, confirming the fraudulent scheme through interviews and banking records. After agents interviewed Bashore in 2023, she contacted some victims and tried to persuade at least one person to mislead federal investigators about her claims. This conduct led to an obstruction enhancement at sentencing.
Bashore pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges. After completing her prison sentence, she will serve three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison stated: "Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today."
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office with help from the U.S. Marshals Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the case.
