While we may not often think of
inmates as vulnerable, it is upon these individuals that John Wilson preyed, conning
both the inmates and their families out of $2.6 million.
It has been two years since
Wilson was accused, but he has finally pled guilty to fraud. Wilson worked with
Lari Zeka, a Macomb Township man, running three businesses that sent mailings
to inmates across the nation. The mailings, which targeted both the inmates and
their families, presented an offer of legal services on the inmate’s behalf.
The catch, however, was the necessity of payment upfront, money that would
supposedly be used for legal research and lawyer retainer fees. The research
would help toward the inmate’s appeal, while the retainer fee would be put
toward the case. Once fees were paid, however, the money disappeared. No
research was conducted and no attorney was ever assigned to work on the
inmate’s appeal.
Wilson seemed to target both
black and Hispanic inmates specifically; however, the nature of the scheme was
universal in nature. The mailings preyed upon the desperate desire of family
members to help their loved ones behind bars.
As a result of an investigation
by the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wilson was
indicted on 66 counts of mail fraud in October 2010 and finally pleaded guilty
in January. For now, he awaits sentencing.
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