CHICAGO — A Joliet woman admitted in federal court that she used a series of threats and intimidation to exploit an elderly man out of more than $1.6 million.
Lee Turner, also known as Ashley Turner, 40, was found guilty Wednesday of using a facility of interstate commerce to promote and carry on unlawful activity, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
Turner admitted that from 2018 to 2021 she communicated numerous threat and fraudulent statements to the victim, who was in his seventies and had limited vision. Turner reportedly threatened to expose the victim’s purported criminal activity, even though she had no knowledge of any such activity committed by the victim.
Turner took on false personas to convey false statements purportedly from others, including alleged gang members, individuals involved in organized crime, prosecutors, journalists, and corrupt law enforcement officers.
According to the plea agreement, Turner, using the alias “Big Joe,” sent a series of messages to the victim, claiming that the victim had to pay $30,000 to prevent law enforcement from raiding the victim’s residence and a relative’s residence.
On June 13, 2019, the victim paid Turner $30,000 to avoid the purported raids, the plea agreement states. The money was one of dozens of similar payments, ranging in value from $5,000 to $66,000, that the victim made to Turner.
In all, Turner received $1,611,975 from the victim as a result of the scam.
Sentencing for Turner has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 8.