Two Sentenced To Federal Prison For Investment Fraud

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II today sentenced Leone Alfano La Cava (59, Orlando) and Viktoriya Johnson (36, Orlando) to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison, and 3 years and 10 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Court also ordered La Cava and Johnson to forfeit four properties and two luxury vehicles, which are traceable to proceeds of the offenses. 

Johnson was found guilty by a federal jury on April 13, 2018. La Cava had pleaded guilty on March 30, 2018.

According to court documents, La Cava and Johnson orchestrated an international real estate investment scheme that defrauded at least 85 Italian investors out of over $5 million. La Cava solicited individuals, in Italy, to purchase real estate in Orange County that he claimed would generate guaranteed rental income. Johnson and La Cava then used falsified deeds and loan documents to convince investors that they were purchasing property owned by La Cava or Golden Investment, Inc., a real estate investment company incorporated by Johnson in 2010. In fact, those properties either did not exist, were never owned by La Cava, Johnson, or Golden Investment, or had already been sold to another investor.

La Cava and Johnson used portions of the funds sent by investors for their own personal use instead of purchasing the real estate promised to investors. Johnson received over $1.3 million in investor funds, that she used to purchase four properties and two luxury vehicles for herself.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan W. Hill, Chauncey A. Bratt, and Roger B. Handberg.