Kota Youngblood, a 52-year-old resident of Manor, Texas, meticulously crafted a deceptive persona as a highly decorated special operations veteran to exploit the trust of individuals he befriended, ultimately defrauding them of over $12 million. Youngblood, also known as Saint Jovite Youngblood, spun elaborate tales of imminent danger from Mexican drug cartels, preying on the vulnerabilities of his victims and their families. He offered his purported specialized skills and clandestine connections to provide protection, demanding substantial sums of money in return. This calculated scheme, which began as early as 2010, targeted at least 32 individuals, many of whom were connected through their children’s participation in a youth hockey league.
Youngblood’s web of deceit extended to falsely claiming 22 years of service in the US Army, including stints with the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division and the highly secretive Delta Force. He boasted of ongoing “freelance” work for the Department of Defense, further solidifying his fabricated image of authority and expertise. However, FBI investigations revealed no record of military service, exposing the foundation of his con as a complete fabrication. He used this fictitious background to gain the confidence of his victims, portraying himself as uniquely capable of shielding them from the fabricated cartel threats.
The intricate nature of Youngblood’s scheme involved the strategic use of intermediaries to maintain a distance between himself and his victims, minimizing direct communication and creating a layer of obfuscation. He preferred in-person meetings, avoiding phone calls or emails that could leave a traceable record. He cunningly characterized the payments he received not as extortion, but as “investments” that would yield substantial returns, further enticing his victims and masking the true nature of his criminal enterprise. This carefully constructed narrative allowed him to exploit the financial resources of individuals who believed they were both protecting their families and making a sound financial decision.
The devastating impact of Youngblood’s deception reverberated through the lives of his victims. Many were gripped by fear, believing their families were in imminent danger from the fictitious cartel threats. Others suffered significant financial losses, some even losing their livelihoods as a result of Youngblood’s manipulative scheme. One victim, whose son played hockey with Youngblood’s son, testified in court about the emotional and financial devastation he experienced. Youngblood initiated contact through his son, claiming a fabricated “situation” involving his ex-wife and a Mexican drug cartel. He then claimed his ex-wife was attempting to have him killed for a $6.5 million life insurance policy and that he possessed audio evidence obtained through a fictitious NSA contact. This victim, believing his family to be in mortal danger, provided Youngblood with over $240,000 in multiple payments.
The unraveling of Youngblood’s charade began when the aforementioned victim, realizing he had been conned, contacted the FBI. This initiated an investigation that unearthed the full extent of Youngblood’s fraudulent activities. The investigation revealed that Youngblood had squandered a significant portion of the ill-gotten gains gambling in Las Vegas, further highlighting the callous disregard he held for the financial well-being of his victims. The investigation culminated in Youngblood’s arrest at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in July 2023 as he was en route to Las Vegas.
Following his arrest, Youngblood was held in a Waco detention center and subsequently stood trial in April 2024. He was found guilty on four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, a testament to the overwhelming evidence against him and the meticulous work of the FBI. In a significant legal victory for the victims, Youngblood was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and ordered to pay full restitution of $12,766,384. This sentence reflects the severity of his crimes and the devastating impact they had on the lives of those he defrauded. The case serves as a stark warning against the dangers of misplaced trust and the devastating consequences of elaborate financial scams.
