A South Carolina woman who defrauded investors with a phony residential development will be serving both federal and state prison terms.
Samantha A. Nottingham pleaded guilty on Tuesday to financial identity fraud, financial transaction card fraud, obtaining goods under false pretenses and driving under the influence, in South Carolina’s Beaufort County General Sessions Court.
Nottingham promoted herself as the owner of Eastern Westerner LLC, claiming her company planned to purchase an $18 million property in the Town of Port Royal, South Carolina, to build a western-themed housing development. To assure investors of her viability, Nottingham used fraudulent tax returns and brokerage account documents claiming she earned more than $2 million annually and owned more than $73 million in assets in a brokerage account.
Additionally, Nottingham used her employee’s ID and credit without their knowledge to purchase three new vehicles valued at more than $300,000 from a car dealership. She wore a medical mask to disguise her face so car dealership employees wouldn’t question her about the ID.
On May 19, Nottingham pleaded guilty in US District Court in Charleston to wire fraud regarding a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration by submitting a fraudulent Federal Payroll Protection Program loan application.
Nottingham has been ordered to surrender herself in October to serve her federal prison sentence of 12 months and a day of incarceration. After that sentence is completed, Nottingham also must serve three years of federal probation and pay $305,378 in restitution payments. Upon completion of her federal incarceration, Nottingham will begin her state prison sentence of two years. She must also serve five years of state probation and pay $250,173 in restitution.
Nottingham is also prohibited from opening new lines of credit without approval from the federal probation department.
Photo courtesy of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office
Good! Make an example of these people. Real Estate fraud is on the rise and it is despicable. Penalties need to be harsh as a deterrent.
My GOD! White Privilege at it’s best! Can you imagine a Black Person having the same crime!!! At least 5 yrs in Jail, geeez did this even make the 5 O’clock news?.