A 56-year-old New Braunfels woman, Telise Marie Armke, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for wire fraud and ordered to pay over $1.25 million in restitution. She had befriended an elderly couple in 2019 and persuaded them to "lend" her large sums of money under the false promise of repaying them with federal disaster relief funds for her supposed flood-damaged home, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Instead of using the money for recovery, Armke spent the funds at local gas station casinos, officials said. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons condemned her actions, stating, "Telise Armke is a predator, plain and simple," affirming justice for the victims, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Armke was sentenced after pleading guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 17, 2025. She was arrested on March 24, 2023, and her hearing was presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Orlando Garcia. The FBI reported that "The defendant exploited a relationship of trust to obtain money from an elderly couple by falsely presenting the theft as a disaster-related loan." Armke must pay $1,251,206 in restitution to the victims. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Porier. The FBI continues to ask the public to report elder fraud, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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