New Orleans Man and Woman Indicted for Fraudulent Vehicle Purchase Scheme Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana Byline: Shane M. Jones Dateline: New Orleans, Louisiana Date: 21 February 2024 Subjects: American Government , Crime, Dealership Operations

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on Friday, February 16, 2024, KENNETH RICHMOND, age 63, and KENDRA WALKER, age 40, of New Orleans, were charged in a six-count indictment by for conspiring to commit wire fraud,  and aggravated identity theft. 

In Count One, RICHMOND and WALKER were charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. According to the indictment, in 2022, RICHMOND and WALKER conspired to use fake or stolen personal identifying information to make fraudulent vehicle purchases from a local car dealership. The vehicle purchases were bank financed, and the loans went into default. 

Counts Two through Five of the indictment allege that on several dates between February and November of 2022, RICHMOND and/or WALKER caused credit applications to be submitted through wire communications, in order to defraud a car dealership and bank, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2.

Count Six alleges that RICHMOND and WALKER knowingly transferred, without lawful authority, a means of identification belonging to another actual person, to further their fraudulent scheme, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A and 2.

If convicted of Counts One through Five, RICHMOND and WALKER face, as to each count, up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. As to Count Six, RICHMOND and WALKER face a prison term of two (2) years consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one (1) year of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. 

U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

Shane M. Jones

Public Information Officer 

United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana

United States Department of Justice

Updated February 21, 2024