A New Jersey woman and her Colombian husband have been convicted of running a fake transit company that sought more than $13 million in federal funds meant for elderly, disabled and homeless Americans.
A federal jury in Utica, New York, found Jael Watts, 45, of Alloway, and Luis Pino-Copete, 42, of Bogota, Colombia, guilty in the scheme, says the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors say the pair operated Pearl Transit Corporation, a New Jersey shell company that claimed to employ drivers nationwide for medical rides and homeless outreach while delivering no real services.
Between July 2019 and October 2025, they sought more than $13 million through false claims and took in more than $1.6 million from agencies in Georgia, California and North Carolina, according to the DOJ.
Trial evidence showed they built fake payrolls and client lists with stolen identities, including people who were already dead, and listed “drivers” who lacked licenses or had never driven a car.
Says Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division,
“The defendants fabricated payrolls and client lists, even using the identities of deceased individuals, to siphon millions meant for the most vulnerable Americans.”
Bank records showed more than $100,000 on Porsche rentals, more than $100,000 at luxury retailer Loro Piana in Manhattan and months of travel across Colombia, Aruba and Europe, the DOJ says.
Watts was convicted of false statement, aggravated identity theft and five counts of wire fraud, while both were also convicted of wire fraud conspiracy, false document and aggravated identity theft. At a January 21st, 2027 sentencing, each faces up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000 and at least $1.9 million in restitution, and Pino-Copete faces deportation after any prison term.
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