by Volusia County, FL – Two suspects from California are facing serious fraud charges after allegedly swindling nearly $500,000 from an Orange City woman in a complex wire transfer scheme, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Wire Fraud Targets Local Woman
Authorities say Jason Hellawell, 56, and Ariel Wang, 33, orchestrated a high-dollar fraud scheme that convinced a local woman she was paying taxes through her accountant, only to find out her accountant’s email had been compromised.
The victim unknowingly transferred $487,350 to what she believed was a legitimate account for tax payments. Instead, the money was redirected by the fraudsters, who had intercepted and manipulated the email communication between the woman and her accountant.
Multi-State Investigation Leads to Arrests
According to a social media statement from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, detectives with the Financial Crimes Unit were able to trace the money, identify the suspects, and freeze bank accounts involved in the laundering of the stolen funds.
“Hellawell is a suspect in other cases across the country,” the sheriff’s office noted, “with $19 million in suspicious wire transfers passing through his account in the past 9 months.”
Hellawell was arrested in California and extradited to Florida on Tuesday. His alleged accomplice, Ariel Wang, voluntarily turned herself in to authorities on July 21.
Charges and Bonds
Both suspects now face a range of serious financial crime charges:
- Jason Hellawell is charged with:
- Organized scheme to defraud over $50,000
- Money laundering over $100,000
- Unlicensed money services of $100,000 or more
- Ariel Wang faces charges of:
- Grand theft over $100,000
- Organized scheme to defraud over $50,000
- Money laundering over $100,000
Wang has been released on a $350,000 bond, while Hellawell remains incarcerated on a $600,000 bond, according to Volusia County Clerk of Court records.
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National Scope of the Scheme
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities indicating that this may just be one piece of a larger national fraud network. With millions of dollars in suspicious activity tied to Hellawell’s account, detectives expect additional charges to emerge from other jurisdictions as their probe expands.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood applauded the efforts of his financial crimes detectives and cautioned residents to remain vigilant, particularly when handling wire transfers and email communications involving money.
Email Compromise: A Growing Threat
This case highlights the growing threat of Business Email Compromise (BEC), a cybercrime tactic where scammers gain access to email systems to intercept financial communications. The FBI reports that BEC schemes caused $2.7 billion in losses in 2022 alone.
Experts recommend confirming wire transfer instructions in person or by verified phone call, especially when dealing with large sums of money, to avoid falling prey to similar scams.
What’s Next
The suspects are expected to appear in Volusia County court in the coming weeks. Law enforcement continues to coordinate with federal and out-of-state agencies to uncover the full scope of the operation.
“Detectives with the VSO Financial Crimes Unit tracked down the suspects and seized bank accounts,” the sheriff’s office stated in their official release.
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