The long con has come to a close as a former couple at the helm of Semisub Inc., a Hawaii-based shipbuilding company, have faced justice for orchestrating a $29 million investment scam. Curtiss E. Jackson, 72, and Jamey Denise Jackson, 62, were handed prison sentences for their roles in duping investors over a period spanning more than ten years, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to court documents, the couple made several false claims to investors, including that their prototype vessel, the Semisub One, was nearly ready to begin operations and that they had secured profitable contracts with government agencies and a private firm. These claims were used to attract investment into the project. Investigators found that a significant portion of the funds raised was used for personal expenses, including luxury homes, a Mercedes-Benz, and travel.
According to the Justice Department, Curtiss Jackson was found guilty of multiple charges, including securities fraud, conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, witness tampering, and obstruction. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison following his conviction by a jury in May 2024. Court records state that during the investigation, Jackson sent a threatening video to co-defendant Jamey Denise Jackson. He also attempted to flee U.S. waters aboard the Semisub One prior to a scheduled bond revocation hearing. Jamey Denise Jackson pleaded guilty in January 2023 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and was sentenced to two years in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation. The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson for the District of Hawaii; Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group; and Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of the IRS-CI Seattle Field Office. Trial Attorneys Matthew Reilly and Jennifer Bilinkas of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret Nammar and Aislinn Affinito for the District of Hawaii, led the prosecution.
