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A Greenwood man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to participating in multiple fraud schemes totaling a combined loss of $2.93 million.
James Henley, 35, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including money laundering, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, according to a news release Monday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Investigators alleged Henley had created five fake businesses in Indiana and Kentucky, and, while claiming to be the CEO of each, stole millions.
“James Henley went to great lengths to coordinate exceptionally greedy, complex schemes that exploited hard-working families and state government programs,” John Childress, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in a written statement. “Undeterred by prior felony convictions for the same conduct, this defendant stole over a million dollars, wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims.”
Between 2020 and 2021, Henley, his wife, Jameka Henley, and associate Jimmie Bickers used personally identifiable information of 76 real people to submit 120 applications for unemployment insurance in 10 states, resulting in payments totaling $1.12 million. They then used the provided debit cards to withdraw cash and make purchases in Evansville and Indianapolis, including buying a $22,000 Chevrolet Camaro. (Bickers and Jameka Henley have also been charged, but have not pleaded guilty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.)
Between 2021 and 2023, James Henley filed five fraudulent home deeds with the Marion County Recorder’s Office. Despite never having spoken with the homeowners, according to the release, Henley claimed the homes had been sold to one of his fake businesses (named OnTrack Real Estate Solutions, LDI Investments Corp, Lucario Investments, 317 Traffic and Henley Real Estate Solutions). He then sold those five homes for less than market value, profiting $260,000. He also attempted to steal and sell 14 additional homes in Indianapolis and Evansville.
In late 2021, an associate of Henley’s purchased an Indianapolis home with a mortgage loan that, less than a year later, Henley claimed had been paid off in fake documents he filed with the Marion County Recorder’s Office. He then filed a deed naming himself an owner of the home, and sold the property for $255,000. He and his associate (it’s unclear if this associate is Bickers) kept the proceeds rather than paying the bank for the still-unpaid mortgage loan.
Henley also purchased multiple cars using loans from Everwise Credit Union that he then claimed Bickers was paying using a Chase Bank account—except the account was from an attorney’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these accounts are typically used to hold client funds, and interest earned on them is used by nonprofits to promote pro-bono programs. Payments made from the account to Henley’s car loans totaled $98,000.
“This case should serve as a powerful reminder that individuals with a history of financial crimes will face significant consequences when they demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and continue to exploit and deceive others for personal gain,” FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert Stapleton said in a written statement.
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