Shayna Williams, 51, of Westfield, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for her involvement in a six-year scheme that defrauded an elderly victim and her friend of more than $500,000, according to court documents filed on July 14 in Indianapolis.
Williams became acquainted with the victim after a car accident. Over the next six years, she lied about injuries and medical expenses allegedly resulting from the accident. Williams claimed her daughter had suffered severe back injuries requiring surgery and specialized equipment such as a walker and an in-home elevator. She also told the victim that she and other family members faced expensive medical treatments and substantial bills.
To support these claims, Williams sent text messages impersonating insurance agents who supposedly negotiated with hospitals over medical bills. These messages falsely promised reimbursement from an insurance company if the victim paid Williams’s expenses. Williams further disguised her phone number to make these impersonations more convincing.
The financial consequences for the victim were significant. The elderly woman took out personal loans, worked as a food delivery driver, obtained a second mortgage on her home, and borrowed money from a friend to pay what turned out to be fraudulent bills. Despite knowing about the mounting debt incurred by the victim, Williams continued requesting additional funds and used much of the money for personal expenses including restaurants, travel, and gambling.
FBI Indianapolis and Carmel Police Department investigated this case. U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker will sentence Williams at a later date. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Eakman and Meredith Wood for prosecuting this case.
Reporting from consumers is described as critical for law enforcement efforts against schemes targeting older adults; assistance is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 with multilingual support seven days a week between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., according to information provided by federal authorities.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes across 60 southern counties in Indiana divided into four divisions; it maintains offices in Evansville alongside its headquarters in Indianapolis while collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies under its role as chief federal law enforcement office for its district within the Department of Justice, according to its official website.