A Texas man, Saint Jovite Youngblood (also known as Kota Youngblood), was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after being convicted of wire fraud and money laundering. He fraudulently claimed to be a Delta Force veteran and convinced victims to pay him millions of dollars for protection from non-existent cartel threats. The sentence was handed down in an Austin federal court on Wednesday, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
Youngblood, 52, was convicted of scamming 32 people out of over $12 million by pretending he could protect them from Mexican drug cartels, using a fake military background. Instead of helping them, he spent the money on gambling in Las Vegas. He was arrested on July 31, 2023, and found guilty on April 23, 2024. He must repay $12,766,384 to his victims. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said, "This fraudster developed close relationships with dozens of individuals, building an immense amount of trust seemingly just to destroy their lives financially through elaborate, deceitful misrepresentations," as stated by the United States Attorney’s Office.
Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp stated, "This sentence reflects the despicable nature of Mr. Youngblood's lies and criminal actions," noting that many victims feared for their families' safety and lost their jobs as a result of his scams. The case reflects the FBI's and U.S. Attorney's Office's commitment to addressing financial fraud. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Guess and Matt Harding, as reported by the United States Attorney’s Office.
