Judge sentences Montgomery man, orders payment following fraud conviction targeting elderly

A federal judge has sentenced a man from Montgomery to 76 months in prison and ordered him to pay $369,703. 60 after he pleaded guilty to fraud that targeted the elderly. 

According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama, Nicholas Houston Allen, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in November 2023. 

“Each year, far too many seniors are financially exploited,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross. “Crimes like this one can be devastating, depriving individuals of their resources, their independence, and their dignity. I am grateful to the other agencies involved in this case for identifying Nicholas Allen’s crimes and providing justice to his victims.”

The announcement said that he scammed an elderly victim out of $250,000 by convincing them that he would use the money to remodel a home that he claimed to have inherited. 

The investigation reportedly found that there were several other elderly victims involved. During his sentencing hearing Allen was ordered to pay the $369,703. 60 in restitution. 

The U.S. Secret Service and the Alabama Securities Commission (ASC) Enforcement Section assisted in investigating and prosecuting the case. 

“The Alabama Securities Commission has no higher priority than fighting the scourge of elder abuse,” said ASC Director Amanda Senn. “We are dedicated to working with our fellow federal and state law enforcement partners to eradicate this monstrous behavior. We will leave no stone unturned to find and punish its heartless perpetrators.”