In a case that has left many people shaken, a man from Buffalo, New York, Nicholas Janes, has admitted to a serious crime that cost hundreds of victims hundreds of thousands of dollars. Janes, aged 26, pled guilty to mail fraud in a federal court. Mail fraud is a crime that involves using the mail system to deceive people in order to steal money or property. His actions could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is centered around a fraudulent scheme that tricked more than 500 people across the country. Janes used a variety of methods to convince victims they owed money for fake loans. He lied to them by claiming that they were facing serious legal trouble, even telling them that they could be arrested. What made his scheme even more believable was the fact that he pretended to be a sheriff’s deputy and an attorney, people who are usually trusted in situations like these.
How the Scam Worked
In May 2023, authorities began investigating suspicious mailings being sent to Janes’s address in Buffalo. These were not ordinary letters – they were special overnight envelopes from the U.S. Postal Service. What caught the attention of the authorities was that these envelopes were sent from many different parts of the country, but they all had one thing in common: they were addressed to various names related to Janes.
Jaysha Victorian Admits Shocking Role in $8.6 Million Debit Card Fraud
A closer look revealed that the letters contained messages meant to scare the people who received them. Janes, who had connections to fake law offices and other names, used these mailings as part of his scam to steal money. He would call people and tell them that they owed money for a loan they had supposedly taken out. He even pretended to be an official sheriff’s deputy, saying that if they didn’t pay immediately, they would face criminal charges.
The victims were instructed to send money via money orders, which they believed would settle their debt. But instead of paying an actual debt, they were simply sending money to Janes. He told victims to send the money orders to various addresses that he controlled. These addresses were spread out across the country, including one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Janes also had a business mailbox.
To make the scam seem more convincing, Janes used several fake names and businesses. Some of the names included “The Nicholas Law Group” and “The Nichols Law Group.” He also used the name of a law firm that did not exist, “The Offices of Pachulski, Mueller and Barnes.” These fake names helped make the scheme appear legitimate, and many people were fooled into paying money they didn’t owe.
Brandon Becker Sentenced to Seven Years for $19 Million Fraud
The Damage Done
The scam turned out to be much larger than initially suspected. In total, Janes tricked more than 500 people into sending him money. The total amount he stole was an astounding $420,812.92. These victims were from all over the United States, and many of them lost large sums of money they could not afford to lose.
Janes’s ability to maintain this scheme for so long was a result of the trust he managed to gain from his fake identities and the fear he created through his threats. People were frightened into believing that they were in serious legal trouble, which led them to send money right away in the hopes of avoiding further punishment.
Thanks to the hard work of investigators, this scam was uncovered. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, led the investigation. With the help of law enforcement, they were able to track down Janes and put a stop to the scam that had harmed so many people.
Janes has now pled guilty to the charges of mail fraud, and his sentencing is scheduled for September 2025. The case has drawn attention to the dangers of fraudulent schemes that can be carried out through the mail and over the phone. While Janes now faces serious legal consequences for his actions, the victims who were harmed by his scam have yet to see the full extent of their losses returned.
