PHILADELPHIA, PA — A deceitful fraudster, Korey Wise, has been handed a prison sentence of 51 months followed by two years of supervised release after defrauding Amtrak and Trailways Transportation Systems out of an astonishing $475,910. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero on Wednesday. In addition to his jail term, Wise is required to pay back the full amount he illicitly gained.
The 48-year-old conman pleaded guilty on May 17, 2023, to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. His fraudulent scheme, which ran from January 2014 through May 2017, involved posing as a utility company representative or an official from a licensing board overseeing nail salons.
Wise exploited his victims, many of whom were individuals and small business owners for whom English was a second language, by collecting their credit card information under the pretense of overdue bills or inspection fees. The victims were led to believe that the fees would be less if paid over the phone with a credit card. Unbeknownst to them, Wise then used this information to buy travel reservations on carriers such as Amtrak and Trailways Transportation Systems, which he subsequently sold for profit.
Three of Wise’s victims, all nail salon owners in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, were falsely told that an inspection of their salon was imminent, and that they could prepay the fee with a credit card. Without their knowledge or consent, Wise used their credit cards to purchase travel reservations from Trailways Transportation Systems.
“Korey Wise defrauded Amtrak and Trailways of nearly half a million dollars, using the stolen identities of innocent people to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “It’s despicable that he specifically targeted victims for whom English may have been a second language, hoping they’d be easier to exploit.”
The case was investigated by the Amtrak Police Department, the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General, the United States Secret Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. In a clear message to would-be fraudsters, US Attorney Romero stated, “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold financial fraudsters like Wise accountable for their crimes.”
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