Harry Grant
Federal Court Hands Down Sentence
Chanise Coyne, a 46-year-old photographer from New Boston, Michigan, was sentenced to five years in federal prison on Monday, September 21, following a guilty plea in a multi-million-dollar wire fraud case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that Coyne will also serve three years of supervised release after her incarceration.
As part of the sentencing, the court ordered Coyne to pay restitution totaling $4,669,962.76 to the victims of the scheme. The fraud involved convincing a family that advance fees were required for their daughter’s participation in modeling events, a claim that prosecutors said was entirely fabricated.
Details of the Modeling Scheme
According to court documents, the victim family had previously worked with Coyne for her photography business. Coyne leveraged that existing relationship to convince the parents that their daughter had been selected for high-profile modeling opportunities. The family paid significant sums for alleged modeling events, but the daughter was never placed in a single event.
To maintain the deception, Coyne created fake text messages, emails, and invoices. Prosecutors stated that she also impersonated a third party to keep the scheme operational. Initially, Coyne faced seven counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. In May, she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which led to the dismissal of the remaining charges.
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. described the nature of the crime in a statement. “Coyne used a child’s aspirations as a smokescreen for a multimillion-dollar fraud against a family,” Gorgon said.
Stolen Funds Used for Gambling and Concert Tickets
Prosecutors detailed how Coyne disposed of the proceeds from the fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Coyne gambled heavily with the stolen money. Specific transactions identified by investigators involved the online sportsbook FanDuel. While the precise total amount spent on gambling was not disclosed, the office noted that the gambling activity was a significant component of how the funds were dissipated.
In addition to gambling, Coyne spent more than $200,000 on Taylor Swift concert tickets in Florida. The combination of high-stakes sports betting and luxury entertainment expenses marked the pattern of spending on the stolen $4.6 million.
Jennifer Runyan, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, emphasized the deliberate nature of the offense. “This was not a mistake or a momentary lapse in judgment,” Runyan said. “This was a calculated, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on a family’s trust and a child’s aspirations for personal financial gain.”
Broader Pattern of Conduct
The federal case is part of a broader pattern of complaints against Coyne. A private Facebook group named “Chanise Coyne Scam Victims” has more than 360 members. Members have described a recurring pattern of Coyne booking photoshoots and then canceling them without providing refunds.
In November 2024, FOX 2 Detroit reported on an incident where Coyne canceled Christmas photoshoots, claiming that the contracted Santa Claus performer had contracted mpox. The Santa Claus performer interviewed by the station denied having the disease. These local incidents preceded the federal sentencing but highlight the scope of complaints against the photographer’s business practices.
Why It Matters
The case illustrates the operational risks associated with high-volume deposits and withdrawals in online sportsbooks, specifically FanDuel. Regulators and compliance teams monitor for unusual spending patterns that may indicate money laundering or fraud proceeds. The specific involvement of a major iGaming operator in a federal sentencing highlights the potential legal and reputational scrutiny faced when stolen funds are laundered through licensed platforms.
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