THIRD MAN SENTENCED IN FRAUD SCHEME
PRESS RELEASE

Timothy M. Morrison, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that LON CAMPBELL, 37, Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment today by U.S. District Chief Judge David F. Hamilton following his guilty plea to wire fraud. This case was the result of a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

CAMPBELL ran and operated Circle City Investments which promoted purchasing real estate and selling it after repairs. In 2004, CAMPBELL persuaded four associates to purchase properties claiming that they would make money by charging more for rent. CAMBPELL also promised that he would take care of any repairs and finding renters. The loan documents that went to lending institutions contained false statements that the properties would be the buyers’ personal residences and that the buyers brought down payment funds to the closing. The $390,000 restitution ordered by the Court represents the gain that CAMPBELL’s company received after the closings on the 17 properties. CAMPBELL was the third person charged in this fraud scheme.

Two related defendants, Charley Walker and Erick Anderson, were convicted of identity theft and bank fraud. They were sentenced on November 29, 2007. Anderson was sentenced to 15 months of imprisonment and Walker received 5 years probation and 6 months home confinement.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle L. Helart, who prosecuted the case for the government, Chief Judge Hamilton also imposed 5 years supervised release following CAMPBELL’s release from imprisonment. During the period of supervised release, CAMPBELL must undergo drug testing and not be employed in the real estate business without prior approval. CAMPBELL was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $390,000.