Photographer scammed family out of $4.6M in child modeling fraud scheme, blew it on gambling, $200K Taylor Swift tickets
A Michigan photographer will spend the next five years behind bars for swindling $4.6 million from a family in a child modeling fraud scheme — and blowing the cash on $200k Taylor Swift tickets and her gambling habit.Chanise Coyne, 46, was sentenced to five years in prison for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme involving fake child modeling events, United States Attorney Jerome F.Gorgon, Jr.
of the Eastern District of Michigan announced Tuesday.Coyne, who lives in New Boston, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud in May and confessed to receiving over $4.6 million from a local family under the guise that the funds would be used for advance fees for their young daughter’s participation in modeling events across the country.The sneaky swindler fabricated fake records — including text messages, emails and invoices — as part of the complex scheme.Prosecutors said Coyne did not use the funds for the young girl’s modeling endeavors and instead splashed the cash for her own benefit.The Michigan scam artist blew “significant sums of her fraud proceeds” on gambling and dropped over $200,000 on Taylor Swift tickets in Florida, according to the US Attorney’s Office.“Coyne used a child’s aspirations as a smokescreen for a multimillion‑dollar fraud against a family.And when you prey on families, you will pay for it,” US Attorney Gorgon said in a news release. She was sentenced to five years behind bars in federal prison and ordered to pay $4.6 million in restitution.Coyne is also required to serve three years on supervised release when she gets out of prison.“This was not a mistake or a momentary lapse in judgment.
This was a calculated, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on a family’s trust and a child’s aspirations for personal financial gain,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.“Those who build their lifestyle on lies, deception, and stolen money should expect serious ...