Greenwood, Indiana's own James Henley, 35, has landed a ten-year stint in federal prison after a guilty plea to a litany of charges including aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. Post-prison, he faces three years of supervised release and must cough up $1,887,426.63 in restitution, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
In an elaborate years-long con, Henley finagled nearly $3 million from homeowners, state governments, and an unaware attorney. Creating five sham companies, Henley donned the CEO hat—albeit a fictitious one—using these entities as fronts for his fraudulent escapades, which also included laundering the dirty money through them.
Part of Henley's hustle involved exploiting the COVID-19 crisis, where he, his wife Jameka Henley, and accomplice Jimmie Bickers hijacked the identities of 76 folks to file bogus unemployment insurance applications across ten states. This trio bagged $1,119,426.63 in government handouts, with Bickers and Jameka Henley's legal reckonings still pending. Henley had the temerity to flaunt the proceeds, splurging on a Chevrolet Camaro to the tune of $22,801 with the ill-gotten gains.
The depths of Henley's deceptions extended well into the Indianapolis housing market, snatching homes from under owners through forged deeds. Filing fake documents, he feigned purchases for his bogus businesses. Most buyers, duped into believing the legitimacy of the sales, stayed in homes they never truly owned. Through these tricks, Henley pocketed more than $260,000 before the law caught up with him.
His mortgage and auto loan cons are part of a rap sheet including a fraudulent mortgage payoff scheme and auto loan payments from a misappropriated attorney's IOLTA account. Henley's criminal repertoire wasn't without precedent, having been previously convicted of similar financial offenses.
Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress didn't mince words, highlighting Henley's unyielding greed and his elaborate schemes that "wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims," as the U.S. Attorney's Office disclosed. Law enforcement allies echo the sentiment, vowing diligence in safeguarding the integrity of financial and aid systems, and ensuring that serial offenders like Henley face full-weighted justice.
As the case concludes with Henley behind bars, federal agents insist on continued vigilance and justice for similar future crimes. Those aware of COVID-19 assistance-related fraud can report suspicions to the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or through their online form.
