A North Texas couple was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison each for operating a pyramid scheme that defrauded over 10,000 people out of more than $30 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.
LaShonda Moore, 38, and Marlon Moore, 39, of Frisco were sentenced Tuesday after a jury convicted them in January on conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering charges.
“The Moores’ get rich quick scheme has earned them a well-deserved stay in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas. “Playing games with other peoples’ money while promising unrealistic returns is stealing and will be prosecuted and punished.”
KERA reached out the Moore's attorneys and will update the story with any response.
Investigators said the scheme disproportionately targeted African American communities and exploited trust among participants.
A federal judge ordered the Moore's to serve 480 months in prison and pay more than $4.3 million in restitution. They will also serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms.
Federal prosecutors said the couple co-founded and operated "Blessings in No Time," or BINT, between June 2020 and June 2021. The scheme promised participants an 800% return on a $1,400 payment and marketed itself as a community-focused way to help others during the economic uncertainty of the pandemic.
Authorities said BINT operated through a chain-referral system known as "playing boards," where participants were required to recruit new members to generate payouts. Prosecutors argued the model functioned as an illegal pyramid scheme because returns depended on recruiting additional participants rather than selling a legitimate product or service.
Court records show participants moved through different levels on the boards labeled "Fire," "Wind," "Earth" and "Water." New recruits were required to make payments to members at higher levels, with the promise they would eventually receive larger payouts after bringing in additional participants. The structure required a constant flow of new members and was mathematically unsustainable, federal investigators said.
The Moores promoted the program through weekly livestream broadcasts that reached thousands of people across the country during pandemic shutdowns, according to the DOJ. Investigators also alleged the couple reassured participants that the operation was legal and promised refunds to dissatisfied members, claims prosecutors said were false.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members.
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