| Lenoir City woman pleads guilty to wire fraud, money
laundering scheme to defraud elderly Christina Erin Myers, 37, entered a guilty plea to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
wbir.com— A Lenoir City woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money
laundering Monday after engaging in a scheme to defraud elderly
people by diverting money they gave her.
Christina Erin Myers, 37, entered a guilty plea to
one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Myers admitted to "engaging in a scheme to defraud elderly individuals by diverting funds that victims had provided to her for the purchase of real estate from Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes, through marketing non-existent senior communities, and promoting fictitious investments opportunities." According to the Department of Justice, Myers faces a term of 20 years in prison, potential fines of up to $750,000, and the obligation of paying more than $405,000 in restitution to her victims. A federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a six-count indictment against Myers on Oct. 16, 2018. It was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Lenoir City Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).
“Protecting our seniors has been and will continue to
be a top priority of our office. Working with our local, state, and
federal law enforcement partners, we will investigate and build
cases for successful prosecution of these individuals who choose to
victimize some of our most vulnerable citizens. I encourage everyone
to speak out and tell someone in authority if they have been a
victim of elder abuse or financial fraud. Please do not remain
silent,” added U.S. Attorney Overbey.
Sentencing has been set for March 25, 2020, at 11
a.m., in United States District Court in Knoxville.
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11/27/19