CHARLOTTE — A Charlotte man pleaded guilty to wire fraud for leading a multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King said Wynn A.D. Charlebois, 53, pleaded guilty on Monday.
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Court documents show Charlebois used companies he owned to carry out the scheme from 2015 through October 2022. At least 39 investors and entities were victims, including friends, family members, and acquaintances. Charlebois falsely promised their money would be put into risk-free investments, subscription agreements, and loans, but those investors lost more than $5.3 million.
In the investment agreements he made, Charlebois also said that he had stock options for particular companies and that his investors could buy those options and get profits, court documents show. But instead of using the money as he said he would, Charlebois used it to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors. He also used it for personal expenses that included private school tuition, mortgage payments, and luxury travel and meals at restaurants.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of at most $500,000.
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