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Houston Lawyer Sentenced for Role in Wire Fraud in Corporate Identity Theft Scheme

Written by FEDagent on . Posted in General News

A Houston lawyer has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a corporate identity theft scheme, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced in a recent release.

According to court documents, Roger Shoss and Nicolette Loisel, another Houston lawyer, conspired between February 2005 and July 2006 to steal the identities of dormant, publicly traded companies. Shoss and Loisel would then use the stolen corporate identities to create empty-shell companies that appeared to be publicly traded, and ultimately sold the fraudulent, empty-shell companies for a profit.

Shoss received multiple wire transfers, totaling more than $800,000, in payment for the companies. Loisel received more than $450,000 for her role in the scheme.

“These individuals – both attorneys – conspired to make a profit through a sophisticated investment fraud and money laundering scheme,” said Sue McCormick, special agent in charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Tampa. “HSI works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute con-artists like Shoss and Loisel.”

Shoss was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and 36 months of home confinement and is required to pay a final money judgment of $800,000. Loisel’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 4.

The case was investigated by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Tampa and the U.S. Secret Service’s Tampa and Newark, N.J., field offices.

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