Alexander A. Olave, 35, of Manassas, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison in a case involving more than $3.5 million in losses reported by about 100 customers of an online-business operation, according to Patch.
How the business was presented
Olave operated AO Elite, which advertised a service to create and manage e-commerce storefronts for customers. Prosecutors said he misrepresented the companies’ experience and results, including claims that they had built hundreds of stores, generated $112 million in client revenue and could guarantee profit margins, according to Patch and Daily Voice.
Customers paid fees in advance, but the promised storefronts were not delivered, according to the reports. Daily Voice, citing court documents, reported that prospective customers were shown a testimonial video created for an unrelated company and that Olave gave additional explanations to delay refunds after complaints were made.
Use of customer money
According to Daily Voice’s account of court records, customer money was used for Olave’s salary and leases on luxury homes and vehicles instead of the businesses customers had paid to establish. Prosecutors said that after AO Elite closed, he created two more companies that continued collecting fees through a similar arrangement, leaving about 100 victims with losses exceeding $3.5 million.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, according to the Department of Justice. Olave’s sentence concludes the federal prosecution.
Online fraud in broader context
The case falls within a wider category of internet complaints involving payment for goods or services that are not provided. According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, people reported $503 million in losses in 2025 under its Non-Payment/Non-Delivery category, a broad classification that includes more than e-commerce businesses.
