A Manor man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison and ordered to pay over $12 million in restitution for charges related to wire fraud and money laundering.
Saint Jovite Youngblood, also known as Kota Youngblood, aged 52, was convicted in April on four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In addition to his prison sentence, Youngblood was ordered to pay $12,766,384 in full restitution to his victims.
Court documents revealed that Youngblood perpetrated a wire fraud scheme by falsely claiming that Mexican drug cartel members were threatening his victims, and that he was part of the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force unit. He promised his victims that he could protect them from the cartels in exchange for money. Furthermore, Youngblood assured his victims that the funds would be returned with interest. Instead, he squandered the money on trips to Las Vegas to gamble, the DOJ reported.
The fraudster swindled 32 victims out of more than $12 million. He was arrested on July 31, 2023, and convicted by a federal jury on April 23, 2024.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Guess and Matt Harding handling the prosecution. Special Agent Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office stated, “Many of Youngblood’s victims lived in fear for their families, while others lost their livelihoods due to his schemes. This sentence demonstrates the harmful nature of his lies and criminal actions. The FBI remains dedicated to uncovering scams like this one and ensuring that anyone who exploits innocent Americans for financial gain faces justice.”
The DOJ also expressed gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its vital role in securing justice for the victims of Youngblood’s fraudulent activities.