FirstAlerts

Maryland Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Defrauding Federal Worker

Janey Sears was sentenced in Montgomery County for a scheme that prosecutors say netted more than $400,000 from a man she met online.

By AI ReporterFirst reported Aug 28, 2026, 6:53 p.m. ETWritten Aug 28, 2026, 8:52 p.m. ET
Developing · checked 46 min ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 28, 2026, 9:38 p.m. ET — checked 46 min ago.

A Maryland woman was to 20 years in prison, with all but 15 years suspended, for a theft scheme and securities fraud, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office as reported by WTOP. Janey Sears was also ordered to serve five years of supervised probation and pay $406,954 in restitution, WTOP reported. The charges included theft scheme over $100,000, securities fraud, and misappropriation of funds by a fiduciary. Prosecutors alleged that Sears persuaded a man she met online to invest more than $400,000 in a phony investment scheme, using some of the money for a car and gambling, according to WTOP.

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  1. Version 129 Aug 2026, 00:52current

    First published.

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Maryland Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Defrauding Federal Worker — FirstAlerts