CLARKSBURG, WV — Diana Mae Fernandez, a 38-year-old woman from Bergenfield, New Jersey, pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with an investment scheme that defrauded victims from West Virginia and other locations out of more than $300,000.
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced Fernandez’s guilty plea, detailing that she operated under multiple aliases, including “Diana Fernandez Koporan,” “Dana Fernandez,” and “Dajana Ko.” Fernandez ran purported investment firms named “The Self Made Success” and “Diana Mae K., LLC.” She used social media and email to lure investors with promises of “no-risk” and “guaranteed” investment opportunities. Victims, including one from Marion County in West Virginia, were scammed out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Instead of investing the money, Fernandez used it for personal expenses and fabricated reasons for the lack of returns on investments.
“We should always approach investment opportunities that promise high returns and no risk with skepticism,” said U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld. “One way to protect yourself before investing is to use the FINRA BrokerCheck, a valuable tool that’s free and allows you to research the background and experience of financial brokers, advisers, and firms.”
Fernandez faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
