DENVER, CO – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has upheld a $152,072 restitution order against a Colorado woman convicted in a multi-state romance fraud and business email compromise scheme.
According to court records, Porsha Pinckey, also known by several aliases including Laura Young and Amy Maine, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957. Prosecutors said Pinckey opened bank accounts and deposited checks obtained from victims of fraudulent schemes operated by her co-conspirators.
Although she maintained she did not personally defraud the victims or know the full extent of the scheme, the Tenth Circuit ruled that under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act, a defendant convicted of conspiracy can be held responsible for all losses that result from the conspiracy, including those caused by others involved.
Pinckey was ordered to pay $152,072.54 in restitution, representing losses to two victims tied to her role in the scheme. The appellate court rejected her argument that she should not be held liable for losses caused by others, finding no abuse of discretion by the district court.
