LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Sara Jacqueline King, a disbarred California attorney who defrauded investors out of $8.7 million to fund a luxurious lifestyle at the Wynn Las Vegas, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.
Once calling herself the “slots whisperer,” the 49-year-old claimed to have an “unbeatable strategy” for high-stakes slot machines — a game driven entirely by chance. In reality, she was fueling a months-long gambling binge in 2023 using funds meant for high-interest loans through her company, King Family Lending LLC (KFL).
According to court records, King lived in a VIP suite, indulging in a steady diet of cocktails and Xanax, while falsely claiming to provide loans secured by luxury assets from celebrities and athletes. No loans were ever issued, despite collecting funds from five victims between January 2022 and January 2023.
In July 2023, King pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. On Monday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter ordered her to pay $8,785,045 in restitution, alongside her prison term.
Her attorney, Sam Cross, requested leniency, citing her gambling addiction and personal losses. However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Waier argued that King’s status as a former lawyer and the scale of the fraud demanded a stricter punishment.
In a statement to the court, one victim — a friend of her ex-husband — accused King of “weaponizing her legal expertise” to destroy lives and maintain an elaborate scheme filled with “lie after lie.”
King was reportedly ejected from the Wynn in November 2023 after staff discovered she had allegedly attempted to scam other guests.
