INDIANAPOLIS A Greenwood man will spend 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a slew of fraudulent schemes that netted him nearly $3 million.

His varied ploys ranged from selling homes he didn’t own to stealing COVID-19 unemployment funds from multiple states. He even gained access to a trust used to fund nonprofits and bought himself two pickup trucks.

James Henley, 35, would ultimately plead guilty to his crimes. These included counts of aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, money laundering, and wire fraud.

In addition to his 10-year federal prison sentence, Henley was ordered to pay nearly $2 million in restitution.

“James Henley went to great lengths to coordinate exceptionally greedy, complex schemes that exploited hard-working families and state government programs,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Undeterred by prior felony convictions for the same conduct, this defendant stole over a million dollars, wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims.”

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Henley teamed with his wife, Jameka Henley, and an associate, Jimmie Bickers, to defraud COVID-19 unemployment programs during the pandemic. The trio submitted 120 unemployment applications in 10 different states during the pandemic, using stolen information from 76 real individuals.

The trio stole more than $1 million in unemployment benefits from the states. Henley used part of his cut to buy a Chevrolet Camaro.

“He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

Henley’s schemes diversified from unemployment theft, according to investigators. From December 2021 to May 2023, Henley stole five homes in Indianapolis.

How do you steal a home? Henley filed fraudulent deeds with the Marion County Recorder’s Office claiming to be the homeowner through fake businesses. He then sold the homes for significantly under market value and pocketed more than $260,000.

He never even contacted the true homeowners.

Henley’s other schemes involved mortgage fraud and auto loan fraud.

Investigators discovered that Henley gained access to the Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Account, which is a highly regulated bank account used by lawyers to hold client funds. Interest earned with this account is used to fund grants for nonprofits that provide legal assistance as part of justice programs.

Henley did not have permission to use this account, but he ended up using funds from the account anyway to purchase a Dodge Durango and a Chevy Silverado.

This spree of fraud isn’t the first time Henley has schemed his way to stolen wealth. Henley has prior felony convictions for financial crimes that include theft, forgery and fraud.

“This case should serve as a powerful reminder that individuals with a history of financial crimes will face significant consequences when they demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and continue to exploit and deceive others for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton.

Both Bickers and Henley’s wife, Jameka Henley, are charged for their role in the COVID-19 unemployment scheme.