A man from Texas who posed as a highly trained special operations veteran has been found guilty of defrauding victims by falsely claiming that drug cartels were targeting them and offering protection at a high cost.
Kota Youngblood, also known as Saint Jovite Youngblood, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in Austin for scamming 32 people out of over $12 million in a scheme that dates back to at least 2010, as reported by the Department of Justice.
Youngblood, hailing from Manor, a town near Austin, convinced his victims that they were being targeted by a Mexican drug cartel and offered protection in exchange for money.
Despite claiming to have served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and Delta Force, investigators found no military service records for Youngblood.
Youngblood used elaborate schemes to convince his victims that they needed his protection as a special operator with connections and skills.
He targeted individuals from his son’s hockey team and used intermediaries to conceal his fraudulent activities.
Youngblood’s scam involved convincing victims to invest in his fake services for protection, promising returns on their money, which he mostly gambled away in Las Vegas.
Ultimately, Youngblood was caught after one victim, who was also a parent of a child on the same hockey team, worked with the FBI when he did not receive his promised funds back.
Youngblood was arrested in 2023 and convicted of wire fraud and money laundering, leading to a 40-year prison sentence and full restitution to the victims.
US Attorney Jaime Esparza emphasized the seriousness of Youngblood’s crimes and expressed hope that the impacted individuals and families can recover from their losses.
