Woman sentenced in WVa for scamming money from elderly

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — A Nevada woman has been sentenced in West Virginia to more than seven years in prison for scamming money from elderly residents.

Shelly Leipham of Las Vegas also was ordered to pay $336,000 Monday in federal court for her conviction in April on charges of money laundering and wire and mail fraud.

Leipham called an elderly resident in Harrison County and claimed they won $1 million, then directed them to send her $25,000 over two years by mail and wire, prosecutors said.

“Leipham badgered and manipulated her elderly victims by calling them over and over again, disregarded the hardships they were experiencing while she was exploiting them, repeatedly lied to them, and accepted no responsibility for her conduct,” U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld said in a statement.