A Louisiana woman admitted her involvement in a wire fraud conspiracy aimed at acquiring luxury vehicles by utilizing the identities of unwitting individuals in the Jackson, Mississippi area. According to court records and statements, Joshanique Elouise Bailey, 29, from New Orleans, pled guilty to the fraud scheme carried out in June 2023.
With the assistance of her coconspirators, Bailey reportedly accessed identity information of credit-worthy individuals to forge documents and impersonate them at automotive dealerships in the Jackson metropolitan area. The group submitted credit applications to finance the purchases of vehicles, traveling from Louisiana to Mississippi in a rented vehicle for this purpose.
Bailey's sentencing is set for June 25, 2025, with a potential maximum sentence of 20 years. She is the last of the five coconspirators to plead guilty in connection to this scheme, all of whom await their sentencing. The final judgment will be rendered by a federal district court judge who will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory requirements.
"Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis, and Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch made the announcement."
The investigation is a collaborative effort between the United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office through their Cyber Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is leading the prosecution.