San Diego会计师以建附属住宅为名骗走逾820万美元：判63个月联邦监禁
美国司法部加州南区联邦检察官办公室宣布，位于加利福尼亚州圣迭戈县的 San Diego 男子 Ethan Joseph Sanchez 以建造附属住宅单元（ADU）的虚假投资计划骗取受害人逾820万美元，于10月30日在 San Diego 的联邦法院被判处63个月联邦监禁。
联邦地区法官 Robert S. Huie 同时判令 Sanchez 没收逾820万美元，并向受害人作出赔偿。Sanchez 现年30岁，作案期间是一名注册会计师。
据司法部公布的案情，Sanchez 在认罪协议中承认，他多次向受害人撒谎，诱使他们把钱借给他本人及其公司 BSC Equity Ventures, LLC。他谎称资金将用于房地产交易，包括在指定房产上建造附属住宅单元，并承诺迅速连本带息归还。
实际上，Sanchez 没有资助任何房地产交易、没有建造任何附属住宅单元，也极少向受害人还款，而是把骗来的钱用于高风险的日内交易并亏损。多名受害人在量刑听证上发言，其中一人表示：「感谢上帝，他被联邦调查局 FBI 抓住了。」
法官 Robert S. Huie 量刑时指出，Sanchez 的骗局「恶劣且可憎」，他还利用受害人去招揽新的受害人，其中包括受害人自己的家人；他盗走的是受害人辛苦挣来的钱，造成的伤害远不止金钱损失。联邦检察官 Adam Gordon 表示，Sanchez 利用了勤劳者的信任、以谎言和虚构投资盗走他们的积蓄，这一判决反映了其行为造成的深重伤害。
此案由联邦调查局 FBI 调查，助理联邦检察官 Eric R. Olah 负责起诉，助理联邦检察官 Sarah Akhtar 此前协助。Sanchez 面临的罪名包括电汇诈骗与洗钱，案号为 25-cr-04062。
San Diego Accountant Sentenced to 63 Months for $8.2 Million ADU Investment Fraud
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California announced that Ethan Joseph Sanchez, of San Diego, in San Diego County, California, was sentenced in federal court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme in which he stole over $8.2 million from victims by tricking them into investing in bogus plans to build accessory dwelling units.
U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie also ordered Sanchez to forfeit over $8.2 million and to pay restitution to victims. Sanchez is 30 years old and was a Certified Public Accountant during the scheme.
According to the Justice Department, Sanchez admitted in his plea agreement to lying to victims repeatedly to convince them to loan money to him and his business entity, BSC Equity Ventures, LLC. His lies included that victims' money would be used to fund real estate transactions, like building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on specified properties, and that he would promptly return both principal and interest.
In fact, Sanchez did not fund any real estate transactions or build any ADUs, rarely returned any money, and instead lost the money via risky day trades. Several victims spoke at the sentencing hearing, and one said: 'He was caught by the FBI, thank God.'
In imposing sentence, Judge Huie noted that Sanchez's scheme was 'aggravated and reprehensible,' and that Sanchez used victims to recruit other victims, sometimes their own family members. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said Sanchez exploited the trust of hardworking people and stole their savings through lies and fabricated investments, and that the sentence reflects the profound harm he caused.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah is prosecuting it, with prior assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Akhtar. The charges in case number 25-cr-04062 include wire fraud and money laundering.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：位于 Washington 的美国司法部罗伯特·肯尼迪大楼。GSM 联邦机构固定图库照片，摄影 APK，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The Robert F. Kennedy U.S. Department of Justice Building in Washington. GSM federal fixed image library photo by APK, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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