New Boston woman gets 5 years in prison for $4.6M child modeling fraud scheme

A Michigan woman who pleaded guilty in a $4.6 million scheme that claimed the money would be used to launch a child's modeling career is headed to prison. 

Chanise Coyne, 46, of New Boston, pleaded guilty in May to a charge of wire fraud and admitted that she obtained over $4.6 million from a Michigan family by fraudulently claiming the money would be used for advance fees relating to the girl's participation in modeling events across the country, federal prosecutors said. 

As part of the scheme, prosecutors say Coyne created false and fraudulent records such as text messages, emails and invoices.   

Prosecutors say the money was misappropriated for Coyne's own benefit, with significant sums of the fraud redirected to gambling expenses. According to court records, while conducting the scheme, Coyne spent more than $200,000 for Taylor Swift tickets in Florida. 

"Coyne used a child's aspirations as a smokescreen for a multimillion-dollar fraud against a family. And when you prey on families, you will pay for it," said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. 

Coyne was also ordered to pay $4,669,962.76 in restitution and will serve three years on supervised release once she's released from prison. 

"This was not a mistake or a momentary lapse in judgment. This was a calculated, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on a family's trust and a child's aspirations for personal financial gain," said Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "Those who build their lifestyle on lies, deception, and stolen money should expect serious consequences."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation.