Yesterday, a federal district judge in South Florida sentenced a 44-year-old former actor and movie producer from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to 262 months in prison for his role in a financing scheme that defrauded investors out of more than $60 million. The defendant, Jason Van Eman, also was ordered to pay certain victims over $9 million in restitution.
The sentence comes after a federal jury found Van Eman guilty of conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering in May.
According to the evidence, Van Eman held himself out as a film producer and financier, offering to fund independent motion pictures, Broadway shows, music festivals, and other productions. Van Eman promised the victims (producers and others seeking financing), that his partner (a co-conspirator named Benjamin McConley) would match any cash that the victims contributed to their projects. Then, with the combined starting capital (which made the projects more attractive to investors), McConley would apply for and secure financing from financial institutions.
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‘Enforcement 40’ for 2020
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