Texan To Pay $5M Restitution For Fraudulent Claims

A 61-year-old DeSoto man was sentenced to nine years in federal prison and ordered to pay $4,973,046 in restitution Monday for a staged accident fraud scheme in which he convinced others to falsely report damage to technical equipment, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. According to office spokeswoman Kathy Colvin, Leroy Nelson pleaded guilty to mail fraud and engaging in illegal monetary transactions in March 2014. He forfeited several vehicles, a motor home, a boat and trailer, and real estate in Duncanville and Cooper, Texas as part of his plea agreement.