A Texas financial advisor was handcuffed with a five-year sentence for swindling over $1.2 million from clients. Dusty Sternadel, 43, received her punishment after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges earlier this year, according to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Sternadel, who was a financial adviser at a prominent international financial services firm, convinced at least ten clients to send her money, which she pocketed for personal use, as U.S. District Judge Reed C. O'Connor was informed at the sentencing. Among those duped, most were elderly with some suffering from diminished mental faculties, prosecutors pointed out. The investigation leading up to Sternadel's conviction was spearheaded by the Dallas Field Division of the FBI.

According to documentation, one incident on Sept. 18, 2019, saw Sternadel transfer close to $27,000 from a client's brokerage account to their checking account. She deceitfully assured the client that the money was mistakenly placed there and instructed them to write a check for that amount. Sternadel then deposited the check into her business account for personal expenses, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.

The scheme stretched from 2019 to 2022 and fleeced at least ten victims, with sums ranging from $18,122 to $288,979.89, whereas, some victims have been reimbursed by the firm, leaving others to bear the brunt of the losses. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht prosecuted the case while John de la Garza was in charge of the forfeiture matters. For further details, contact Erin Dooley, the Press Officer, at the given phone number or email address.