United States Attorney Duane A. Evans has announced the indictment of Kevin Thompson, 39, from New Orleans, and Nina Thomas, 34, from Austin, Texas. The pair face charges related to wire fraud, identity theft, money laundering, and federal drug offenses as per a superseding indictment filed on December 13, 2024.
The indictment outlines that in 2020, Thomas filed for divorce from her husband in Texas. By 2021, she had entered into a relationship with Thompson. Between September 6, 2021, and December 13, 2024, the duo allegedly defrauded Thomas's ex-husband by transferring funds from his bank accounts to accounts they controlled. They reportedly created an email account in his name to open several bank accounts using either his or Thompson’s contact information. The funds were then wired fraudulently into these accounts.
The indictment further states that after securing the funds through fraudulent means, Thompson and Thomas made significant cash withdrawals and purchased luxury items including a Hermes Birkin handbag for $28,796 and a Porsche Panamera for $52,890.
Court records also indicate that on June 9, 2023, Thompson possessed with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and had a firearm in furtherance of this offense.
If convicted on the wire fraud charges alone, both face up to thirty years imprisonment along with fines up to $250,000 and supervised release terms post-imprisonment. For aggravated identity theft charges, there is a mandatory two-year imprisonment term plus potential fines and supervised release. Money laundering convictions could result in ten years of imprisonment with similar financial penalties. For possession with intent to distribute cocaine charges against Thompson specifically, the penalties include a minimum five-year sentence up to forty years and fines reaching $5 million. The firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum five-year sentence potentially extending to life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Evans emphasized that "the superseding indictment is merely a charging document" and stressed that guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney André Jones is handling the prosecution for this case.