Billionaire Sidney Kimmel robbed of $11 million by Georgia inmate

Whereas imprisoned within the Georgia Division of Corrections’ Particular Administration Unit, Arthur Lee Cofield Jr. used a contraband cellphone to impersonate Kimmel, the 94-year-old CEO of Sidney Kimmel Leisure, which was behind films similar to Loopy Wealthy Asians and Hell or Excessive Water.

Kimmel is price $1.5 billion based on Forbes. 

In 2020, the 31-year-old Cofield managed to persuade customer support representatives at Charles Schwab that he was Kimmel and withdrew $11 million. The cash was then used to purchase over 6,000 American Eagle one-ounce gold cash, which have been flown to Atlanta by way of non-public jet.

In line with the report by the Atlanta Journal-Structure, Cofield additionally used the cash to purchase a mansion for $4.4 million within the upscale Buckhead space of Atlanta, helped by two others: Eldridge Bennett, 65, and his daughter, Eliayah Bennett, 27. 

Not the primary from behind bars

“As quickly as Schwab was conscious of suspected fraudulent exercise, we launched an investigation, initiated measures to guard the shopper’s account and notified the authorities,” stated Charles Schwab, which reimbursed Kimmel in full. 

Authorities suspect Cofield ran an analogous operation earlier than this one, taking $2.25 million from Nicole Wertheim, spouse of billionaire businessman Herbert Wertheim. He’s additionally going through pending expenses of tried homicide after he allegedly requested gang members to kill a romantic rival whereas he was behind bars. He had already been serving a 14-year sentence for armed theft.

The inmate has been charged with cash laundering and conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud. All three concerned have pleaded not responsible.