Lenoir City Resident Indicted for Fraud Scheme Involving Elderly Victims

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, Oct. 18 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee issued the following news release:

On October 16, 2018, a federal grand jury in Knoxville returned a six-count indictment against Christina Erin Myers, 36, of Lenoir City, Tennessee, charging her with wire fraud and money laundering. Myers appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Poplin in U.S. District Court on October 18, 2018, and pleaded not guilty to the charges included in the indictment.

Myers trial is set for December 18, 2018, in U.S. District Court. If convicted, she faces 20 years in prison.

The indictment alleges that from May 2014 through July 2018, Myers engaged in a scheme to defraud elderly individuals under the guise of selling them residential properties at Williams Ferry Pointe (WFP), which is a senior living community in Lenoir City, Tennessee. WPF is operated by Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes (TBAH), a provider of residential care for senior adults and adults with exceptional needs. She allegedly implemented her scheme by diverting funds that were for the purchase of the real estate to her own personal use and marketing non-existent senior community housing. The indictment further alleges that Myers promoted and sold fictitious investment opportunities and diverted those funds to her own personal use instead of investing them for the victims. In total, Myers fraudulently obtained approximately $518,000. Additional details of her scheme are outlined in the indictment, which is on file with the U.S. District Court and available to the public.

Agencies whose investigation led to indictment of Myers include the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Lenoir City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Dale will represent the United States in court proceedings.

Members of the public are reminded that an indictment constitutes only charges and that every person is presumed innocent until his or her guilt has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.