Scammer of the Week

Joanne Schiwart

Jefferson County — A Port Arthur woman is beginning a ten year federal sentence for defrauding an elderly victim out of nearly $1.5 million dollars from her retirement account, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Joanne Schiwart, 28, plead guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to ten years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 10. Schiwart was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,464,761.47. According to information presented in court, as part of the fraud scheme over the course of a year, Schiwart wired more than $1.4 million from an elderly victim's retirement accounts by contacting the investment company by phone and using personally identifying information to impersonate the victim and mislead the investment company into thinking it was speaking with the account holder. Among other things, Schiwart used the stolen money to buy multiple vehicles for herself and as gifts for others.