Feds allege phony contractor scammed elderly Naples woman of $1.2M after storm

A 42-year-old Naples man has been indicted for allegedly defrauding an 85-year-old woman by posing as a contractor after Hurricane Ian and continuing to collect money from her, even after her damaged home was sold.

Luis Emilio Hernandez has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with two counts of wire fraud and six counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years for each money laundering count. 

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of more than $1.2 million and other assets that can be traced back to the alleged fraud.