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Ivory Joe Pruitt was sentenced in federal court for his role in a multi-state wire fraud conspiracy that targeted victims at hospitals and university buildings across the United States. Prosecutors said Pruitt and his co-conspirators stole wallets, payment cards, and personal identifying information between August 2022 and May 2024, then used the stolen identities to open fraudulent Sam’s Club accounts and make unauthorized purchases. The scheme affected more than 30 victims in at least a dozen states and involved more than $179,000 in attempted or completed fraudulent transactions.
Pruitt received a 63-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $137,392.74 in restitution. Authorities described him as a central participant in the operation, while several co-conspirators had already been sentenced in related cases. The investigation was led by the FBI, the University of Kentucky Police Department, and numerous law enforcement agencies nationwide.
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On July 31, 2026, U.S. District Judge Robert Wier sentenced Ivory Joe Pruitt to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also ordered him to pay $137,392.74 in restitution.
Between August 2022 and May 2024, Ivory Joe Pruitt and co-conspirators stole wallets from hospitals and university buildings across the United States and used victims' payment cards and identities to create fraudulent Sam's Club accounts and make unauthorized purchases. The scheme spanned at least a dozen states, affected more than 30 victims, and involved more than $179,000 in attempted or completed purchases.
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