Federal authorities arrested a 42‑year‑old California woman for orchestrating a $13.3 million investor fraud scheme involving her startup, using the proceeds to buy a Tesla, an Inglewood home, Super Bowl tickets and a destination wedding.
Shiloh Luckey was apprehended in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just before a cruise. She was released on bond and will appear in Los Angeles federal court soon.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office charges Luckey with nine counts of securities fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud and two counts of money laundering. Prosecutors allege that between September 2020 and September 2023 she deceived investors in her Los Angeles‑based company, ComplYant App Inc., by presenting false updates, pitch decks and promotional materials that inflated subscription numbers, customer base, cash reserves and recurring revenue.
Luckey also claimed to be a licensed certified public accountant with extensive experience, a claim she never held. Victims invested millions based on these misrepresentations. Prosecutors say she diverted part of the funds to personal expenses, including a Tesla, her Inglewood residence and a wedding in Anguilla. By September 2023 the company had liquidity problems and shut down, leaving investors with total losses. The indictment also details a check‑kiting scheme in September and October 2022, where she wrote a bad $1.5 million check from a ComplYant account, deposited it into a separate bank, wired the money to buy her home, and later cleared the negative balance with fresh proceeds from new investors.
If convicted on all counts, Luckey faces a maximum sentence of 30 years for bank fraud, 20 years for each count of wire and securities fraud and 10 years for each count of money laundering.
