Tommie Lee Nelson, a 65-year-old resident of Miramar, Florida, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Roanoke on six counts of wire fraud related to a scheme that defrauded a Lynchburg doctor out of nearly $500,000. Nelson was arrested by FBI agents at his home near Miami in July and made his initial court appearance in Fort Lauderdale before being ordered detained.
According to the indictment, the alleged fraud began around April 2020 when the victim sought to purchase a commercial building in Danville, Virginia, with an agricultural cooperative. Nelson presented himself as a hard money lender who could assist with the transaction. The indictment claims that between July 2020 and into 2021, Nelson convinced the victim to wire him several payments totaling almost half a million dollars.
The indictment further alleges that instead of using the funds for the intended real estate purchase, Nelson spent the money at casinos and for personal expenses. By 2021, after the deal fell through, Nelson reportedly ceased communication with the victim.
In 2024, a civil judgment was awarded to the victim against Nelson’s corporation. Following this outcome, a United States district judge referred the matter to federal prosecutors for criminal investigation. If convicted on all counts, Nelson faces up to 120 years in federal prison.
“United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert made the announcement today.”
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.”
“Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.”
“An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law”
