https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/pennsylvania-woman-gets-4-years-for-fraud-scheme-targeting-cedar-rapids-church-others-moneylaundering-court-judge-scam-email-bank-

A Pennsylvania accountant and business instructor has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for laundering over $800,000 as part of a multi-state fraud scheme that tricked a Cedar Rapids church and several other victims into misdirecting large electronic payments.

62-year-old Margo Ann Williams, of Scranton, was convicted in September of 2024 of bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

In addition to her federal prison sentence Williams has been ordered to pay $594,037.41 in restitution to her victims.

Prosecutors say from December 2022 to July 2023, Williams played a key role in a business email compromise scheme that targeted five victims, a church in Cedar Rapids, two businesses, a non-profit organization, and an individual, by intercepting large electronic payments through hacked and spoofed email communications.

The Cedar Rapids church received fake emails that appeared to come from the renovation project's contractor. Those emails, sent after the hackers compromised the architect's email account, directed the church to send more than $460,000 to a fraudulent account.

At trial, Williams claimed she believed she was acting at the discretion of a famous British actor who she thought she was dating.

Prosecutors say she personally profited about $25,000 and made expensive purchases.