The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced that Kevin Thompson, 39, of New Orleans, and Nina Thomas, 34, of Austin, Texas, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
Thompson also faces additional charges related to drug trafficking and firearm offenses.
According to the indictment, Thomas filed for divorce from her husband, identified as Victim 1, in Texas in 2020. Beginning in 2021, Thomas and Thompson started a romantic relationship and allegedly began defrauding Victim 1 by creating fraudulent email and bank accounts in his name.
The pair then transferred money from Victim 1’s accounts into accounts they controlled, withdrawing large sums, sometimes up to $300,000. They used the stolen funds to purchase luxury items, including a $28,796 Hermès Birkin handbag and a $52,890 Porsche Panamera.
In addition to the wire fraud charges, Thompson was found with over 500 grams of cocaine on June 9, 2023, with the intent to distribute, the department reported. He also possessed a Springfield Armory HS Produkt Hellcat pistol, which authorities believe he had to support the drug trafficking operation.
If convicted of wire fraud, both Thompson and Thomas could face up to 30 years in prison, along with fines of $250,000 and supervised release. Thompson faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison for drug charges, with the possibility of up to 40 years. Additionally, Thompson faces a mandatory minimum of five years for the firearm charge, to be served after any other sentence.