Saint Jovite Youngblood, also known as Kota Youngblood, was sentenced on Wednesday to 40 years in federal prison for committing wire fraud and money laundering. The 52-year-old man from Manor, Texas, defrauded 32 victims out of more than $12 million by falsely claiming that Mexican drug cartel members intended to harm them and offering protection in exchange for large sums of money.
Youngblood misrepresented himself as a former member of the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force special operations unit, gaining the trust of his victims. He convinced them that their investments would yield significant returns, but instead, Youngblood used most of the funds for lavish gambling trips to Las Vegas.
After being arrested on July 31, 2023, Youngblood was convicted by a federal jury on April 23, 2024. In addition to his 40-year prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $12,766,384 in restitution to the victims.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza commented on the severity of the crimes, stating that Youngblood built close relationships with his victims, only to destroy their financial stability through deceit. The restitution order and lengthy sentence reflect the seriousness of his actions and aim to help the victims recover from their losses.
