Joshua Henner has been sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl for running two fraud schemes that stole over $2.4 million from victims. Henner previously pled guilty to one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “Joshua Henner deceived victims into loaning him millions of dollars across not one, but two fraud schemes. Henner’s crimes ruined the lives of his victims: some have postponed retirement, others lost their life savings, while others have been forced to change professions or work multiple jobs to account for their significant financial losses. This sentence sends the message that those who defraud others will receive significant prison sentences.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, the plea agreement, and other public filings and statements made in court.
From at least in or about March 2022 through at least in or about December 2022, Henner ran two schemes that defrauded victims out of at least $2.4 million.
In the first scheme, Henner solicited and obtained funds from victims based on representations that he had been an angel investor in a start-up and needed funds to purchase additional shares in the company to maintain his investment position.
To induce victims to give him funds, Henner routinely made materially false oral and written statements, including lies about his previous investment in the company and his ownership interest. Without their knowledge or authorisation, Henner misappropriated his victims’ funds by, among other things, transferring the funds to himself and other individuals.
Henner also used, without authorisation, the name and email address of a lawyer purportedly involved in the investments to communicate via email with his victims and foster the illusion that he was using the funds that his victims lent him for their intended purposes.
In a second scheme, Henner also induced at least six victims to lend him money to renovate an apartment that he did not own.
To carry out this fraud, Henner, among other things, informed victims that he had contracted with a renovation company and created a fraudulent email address with the real name of an employee of the renovation company.
In truth and fact, Henner rented and did not own the apartment, Henner was prohibited from renovating the apartment, and Henner did not use the funds his victims gave him to renovate the apartment.
