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Crime & Courts

St. Augustine Man Sentenced to Over Six Years for Defrauding Senior of More Than $2 Million

Eric James Stone, 43, was sentenced to six years and eight months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering, and ordered to pay $2,037,103 in restitution.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 21, 2026, 12:55 p.m. ET
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Eric James Stone, 43, of St. Augustine, was on August 20, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to six years and eight months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. Stone was also ordered to pay $2,037,103 in restitution to his victim. He pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026. According to court documents, Stone used his position as a financial advisor to befriend a 75-year-old woman and solicit money from her. Over approximately three years, he convinced her to make over 600 transactions totaling over $2 million. He sent fraudulent emails from purported attorneys, banks, and other internet websites to deceive her, and spent most of the money on foreign gambling websites. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentence. "Our seniors are among our nation's most vulnerable population and must be protected," Kehoe said. "The defendant in this case used his position of trust to deliberately deceive and exploit the victim for his own personal gain. For that, he will be punished for his crimes." The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. Assistant United States Attorney Clint J. Locke is handling the forfeiture.

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  1. Version 121 Aug 2026, 16:55current

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