In a scheme that preyed on the vulnerable, a Houston mother-son team has been charged with conning an elderly couple out of more than $1 million, as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. The suspects, Regina Lynn Thomas, 56, who also goes by Nikki Laday, and her 38-year-old son Isaiah Thomas, are facing a mix of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and numerous counts of wire fraud.
Regina Thomas was arrested and brought before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo, where she was ordered to remain in custody until a detention hearing set for May 6. The sordid affair began when Thomas allegedly took a position falsely claiming to be a nurse to help an elderly couple care for a parent, only to quickly betray their trust. According to the indictment, she weaved a tapestry of deceit, convincing the couple that they were under investigation for FEMA fraud and providing them with a faux attorney.
The so-called lawyer involved in the ploy turned out to be a phantom without a legal license. The couple, misled to believe they were paying for legitimate services, was actually funneling money into Isaiah Thomas' bank account. These funds were then reportedly shared with his mother, as per the indictment details provided by the Department of Justice.
If the Thomases are found guilty, they each could be looking at up to 20 years in federal penitentiary walls, not to mention a hefty $250,000 fine for each of the counts levelled against them. The FBI led the operation to unveil the deception, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman was set to prosecute the case.
It is crucial to note, as the Department of Justice has underlined, an indictment is only an initial step—a formal accusation—and does not equate to guilt. The elderly couple's accused deceivers are presumed innocent until proven otherwise through the legal process. Updates are sure to follow as the wheels of justice slowly turn in this harrowing case of elder exploitation.
