An Austin man's high-stakes bluff has finally been called. Saint Jovite Youngblood, 52, was convicted by a federal jury on multiple charges of fraud and money laundering. The Manor native, also known as Kota Youngblood, had concocted a nefarious plot where he claimed Mexican drug cartels were targeting his victims, offering his "Delta Force" protection for a hefty price, according to court documents.

From April 2021 to July 2023, Youngblood spun a web of lies to quickly part investors from their cash. The scheme promised that the fear-stricken victims would receive protection from alleged cartel threats. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas, Youngblood boasted of a background in the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force – a claim designed to uniquely manipulate and exploit the trust of his targets.

But instead of safeguarding those he duped, Youngblood used the collected funds to finance gambling sprees in Las Vegas. The U.S. Attorney's announcement revealed the money intended for protection ended up fueling casino junkets. Youngblood's arrest on July 31, 2023, marked the end of his fraudulent campaign.

Now waiting to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman, Youngblood faces severe penalties for his transgressions: up to 20 years for each wire fraud count and an additional 10 for money laundering. With four counts of wire fraud on his docket, Youngblood's gamble has decidedly failed to pay off. The details of his conviction were thoroughly investigated by the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding leading the prosecution against Youngblood's high-stakes deceit.