Keisha Williams, 43 (pictured on a trip to Venice), admitted scamming dozens of people out of their life savings so she could travel the world in the lap of luxury on their dime
A Virginia woman has been jailed after she admitted swindling more than $5 million from her victims' life savings so she could travel the world in the lap of luxury on their dime.
Keisha Williams, 43, who has both an electrical engineering degree and a law degree, was sentenced to 15.5 years in jail on Friday in federal court in Alexandria.
'The way in which you spent this money ... is appalling,' Judge Leonie M. Brinkema said during her sentencing. 'It was one of the worst (cases) I've seen.'
Williams used a health care software scheme to steal millions from more than 50 people in order to live high on the hog in the Caribbean, French Polynesia and throughout Europe, according to Seattle PI.
At one point, Williams even told her mother that she would not call her sick grandmother and if they wanted to see her, they had to send money, despite her continued absence on lavish vacations with other people's money.
Williams, from Ashburn, pleaded guilty to 14 fraud-related charges in the fall, just days into a trial where 20 people had already testified against her.
In total, Williams swindled more than $5 million out of her many victims.
'This is a being without a heart or soul; no human can do what she has knowingly done to so many of us,' one of her victims wrote in a letter to the court.
At sentencing, Williams emphasized her education, saying, 'I believe I am a good person who made some bad choices.
When a victim asked how she could sleep at night she referenced the Bible, and said, 'I'm a new person.'
Williams (pictured during her trip to Disney World) told people who thought they were investing in health care software that she needed more and more emergency money to close the deal. In one instance, Williams claimed to be in Texas with a fictional 'John,' negotiating terms at a hospital, but in reality, she went to Disney World and on a Jamaican holiday with her girlfriend , which cost $75,000
Courts documents from February obtained by Fox 5 revealed she stole $250,00 in inheritance money from a then-71-year-old cancer survivor in McLean, and another $70,000 from a Silver Spring man, who was 70 at the time.
According to the FBI, Williams promised those she cheated a 'mega-bucks investment opportunity' in exchange for 'emergency funding to get software that she had purchased out of "escrow" in Austria.'
Over a span of four years, Williams kept up the charade that she had bought software from Europe that enabled medical professionals to examine and talk with patients remotely, claiming she needed funds to cover taxes and fees related to the business.
Christian D'Andrade, a 70-year-old successful California businessman, was duped into handing over $1.4 million of his own money in what he thought was a partnership deal to raise a total of $4 million to get the product up and running.
But Williams never bought the software with the $5.4 million she acquired from people who thought they were investing in their futures.
Williams spent less than $300,000 of that money on software-related expenses, and most of the balance on herself and her girlfriend, court records showed.
Court records show Williams fabricated bank documents to make it appear that she was awaiting a $58 million loan from 'John,' who prosecutors described as 'a fictional cancer-ridden Texas billionaire.'
Williams claimed to be in Texas with 'John,' negotiating terms at a hospital, but in reality, she went to Disney World and on a Jamaican holiday with her girlfriend for her birthday, which cost $75,000.
Text messages sent by Williams to different people, close in time, reveal she was telling D'Andrade she was too ill to work on the project, but was actually in the Bahamas, complaining about missing a balcony while four butlers waited on her, hand and foot.
'I spend the most at the Ritz in food and beverage all year and for many years,' she texted one person, adding, 'They need to take care of me.'
At another time, Williams messaged D'Andrade she was being held in custody in Austria and needed $150,000 to see her dying grandmother.
D'Andrade replied saying, 'I lost both houses as of today. I don't know what else I can do.'
She replied: 'I'm sad and stressed about this but my gma I'm in tears,' but in truth, Williams had just returned from Bora Bora.
She was simultaneously messaging a friend about whether to secure 'a beautiful [yacht] with hand and foot service' on her upcoming trip to Miami.
One thing was true though. Williams' grandmother wasn't well, and her mother had asked her to call, according to court documents.
Williams responded: 'Me calling isn't going to do anything. They need to send some money if they want me there.'
In January of last year, D'Andrade gave the last thing that he could give, which was his Social Security check, to Williams.
'I normally use that to psy (sic) my phone and utility bills which is over due,' he wrote. 'I will see if o (sic) can get a few days extension on them.'
At that time, Williams had been staying all throughout Italy, at the finest accommodations in Florence, Rome and Venice.
She told a friend at that time of her estimated $200,000 expenditures, 'It's worth every penny, the memories and the beauty and culture of other places is priceless.'
D'Andrade wasn't the only one who unwittingly aided Williams in her sheisty endeavors.
As his money ran out, she turned to Maryland real estate investor Carla McPhun who knew D'Andrade socially. McPhun also admitted she lied to investors, thinking she could pay them back, before becoming aware of the scope of Williams' fraud when she was arrested on February 15.
'That was only the beginning of the nightmare,' McPhun, who lost her life savings and her home in the fallout, said in court.
Investigators were first alerted to Williams; dealings after complaints were filed that her consulting firm had charged small business advanced fees for work that was never completed.
There was also evidence she had participated in mortgage fraud, prosecutors said.
Neighbors said law enforcement showed up to her home and carried out bags of high-price items, but that Williams wasn't there and must have been arrested elsewhere.
Investigators were first alerted to Williams; dealings after complaints were filed that her consulting firm had charged small business advanced fees for work that was never completed. There was also evidence she had participated in mortgage fraud, prosecutors said. Williams home in Ashburn, Virginia is shown
Neighbors said law enforcement showed up to her home in February and carried out bags of high-price items, but that Williams wasn't there and must have been arrested elsewhere
During Williams' short-lived trial in September, and also at her sentencing on Friday, she came to court with an $1,800 leather portfolio that she purchased with money she stole from a special need teacher and recent widow.
'The gall (of) that act speaks volumes,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Hill said in court.
Following her sentencing, Williams was forced by the judge to turn over the portfolio by Bottega Veneta, and was also ordered to other luxury items, including a car, gun and watches.
For his part, D'Andrade is serving a probationary sentence, and living with the consequences of what appears to be the unlucky result of naivete.
Court records show he lost not only his business, two houses, car and all of his savings, but also the savings of his ex-wife, girlfriend and a professional mentee.
D'Andrade admitted that he personally lied to multiple victims about cash flow and when they could expect to see returns, while he said he believed Williams would come through with what she promised.
McPhun is also serving a probationary sentence.
Two other men caught up in the scheme admitted to intimidating people that Williams said owed her money.
Former air marshalls Ruben Gresham and Arthur Robinson, the latter of whom was a Pentagon police officer who ran back into the burning building during the 9/11 attacks, both revealed they impersonated active federal agents at Williams' urging.
I disrespected my former brothers and sisters in law enforcement,' Robinson said in court in the fall. 'I don't anticipate I'll forgive myself for a long, long time.'
Gresham was sentenced to three months in jail and Robinson received a probationary sentence.
Williams will now be spending the next 15.5 years in federal prison, rather than living high on the hog as she had been doing for the past four years on dozens of other people's money
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https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/22/virginia-woman-scammed-dozens-into-giving-up-their-savings-so-she-could-stay-at-the-ritz/
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Keisha Williams, 43 (pictured on a trip to Venice), admitted scamming dozens of people out of their life savings so she could travel the world in the lap of luxury on their dime
A Virginia woman has been jailed after she admitted swindling more than $5 million from her victims’ life...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
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