A Clermont County man has been indicted with 93 felony charges in connection with a scam spanning multiple states and victimizing dozens of individuals to the tune of nearly $1 million. Cody Winn, 27, was indicted by a grand jury on 31 counts of telecommunications fraud and 62 counts of theft, as reported by The Cincinnati Enquirer.
According to the Clermont County Sheriff's Office, the alleged fraudulent scheme reached victims in 16 states, as verified by FOX19. The investigation kicked off after a report from a Californian resident about their dealings with a "Cody Clay" of Market Modern LLC, promising a full return on investment within three months. The victim invested $25,000 to create an automated Amazon store, which resulted in no returns and ceased communication attempts with the alleged company.
Winn, who went by "Cody Clay" online, is accused of funneling investor funds to a separate global e-commerce entity. Victims had paid amounts ranging from $25,000 to $60,000, with 31 identified investors having received nothing in return, as deputies discovered in a statement obtained by Local12. The scheme operated from March 2023 through October 2023.
An investigation by the CCSO, aided by information from the Orange County Sheriff's Office in California, revealed that while the Amazon storefronts were indeed created, Winn allegedly did not send the profits back to investors. Instead, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, his bank records showed substantial monthly personal expenditures. Winn now faces charges for his alleged involvement in this interstate fraud and theft.
Placed under arrest by the sheriff's office, Winn is being held without bond in the Clermont County Jail, awaiting his arraignment before Judge Anthony Brock in Clermont County Common Pleas Court, as was scheduled for today at 10 a.m. It has not been determined whether Winn has acquired legal representation, following the details from FOX19 and other sources.
