Lafayette Women Indicted in $1.5M Fraud Scheme

LAFAYETTE, La. — A federal grand jury has indicted two Lafayette-area women on wire fraud charges tied to a scheme that pulled in at least $1.5 million from victims over several years, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.

Felicia Young, 58, of Lafayette, and Leisa Fuselier, 59, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, were indicted on July 15 on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Young faces an additional charge of obstruction of justice. Both women face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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How Prosecutors Say the Scheme Worked

Court documents allege Young built relationships with her victims through legitimate business dealings tied to several companies she owned, including ALA Floral 2, Kreole Ala 2, Johnston Street Drive-Thru and F&B Rentals. Once she’d earned their trust, Young asked those same victims to lend her money.

That’s when the scheme allegedly turned into something longer running. Young would tell victims her bank accounts had been frozen and that she needed more money deposited to unlock them so she could pay everyone back. To make the story hold up, she allegedly looped Fuselier into three-way calls with each victim, where Fuselier posed as a representative of Young’s bank and backed up the claim that the accounts were frozen over an outstanding debt.

Investigators say the two women told victims their money would only get unlocked if they deposited specific amounts by a set day and time, a deadline pressure that kept the payments coming.

More Than $1.5 Million Moved Through CashApp, Venmo and Cash

Believing those claims, victims sent Young at least $1.5 million through CashApp, Venmo, checks and cash withdrawals. Those transactions triggered interstate wire transmissions, which is what turns a fraud case into a federal one and forms the basis for the wire fraud charges.

Young is accused of keeping the money for herself, paying Fuselier for her role in the scheme and using the rest to keep the fraud going. The indictment also alleges that on December 30, 2023, Young destroyed or hid records to keep them out of an official proceeding, the basis for the obstruction charge against her.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller announced the indictment. “Protecting the public from financial predators is a top priority for this Office,” Keller said. “These defendants allegedly exploited trust, manipulated victims, and abused financial systems for personal gain. We will continue to relentlessly pursue those who defraud and harm hard-working members of our community.”

Case Status and What Comes Next

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren L. Nickel is prosecuting it with help from legal assistant Christy Angelle. Court records are filed under case number 6:26-CR-00269 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

An indictment is only an allegation. Young and Fuselier are presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges against them beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

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