Buffalo man admits to defrauding individuals of over $400K around the country
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo man has pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with nearly half a million dollars defrauded from hundreds of people across the country, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday.
Prosecutors said that Nicholas Janes, 26, would contact people around the country by phone posing as either a local sheriff's deputy or an attorney at a fake law firm telling them that they owed money. When he pretended to be a sheriff's deputy he would threaten the victims with criminal charges, officials said.
Money was sent to Buffalo as well as addresses in Ann Arbor, M.I. All in all, officials said Janes victimized more than 500 people for a total of $420,812.92.
An investigation began in May 2023 after police learned of several suspicious overnight flat rate envelopes being sent to Janes' Buffalo address using several names, including "Nicholas James" and "The Nicholas Law Group."
Janes faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced on Sept. 11.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.