Crime & Public Safety
Milwaukee resident sentenced in federal investment fraud case
Federal investigators say a Milwaukee man was sentenced to prison after federal prosecutors determined he ran an investment fraud scheme that took millions from members of his community. The defendant, identified by investigators as Joseph Nantomah, was given a four-year federal prison term and ordered to pay more than $2.7 million in restitution.
According to the federal case summary, Nantomah persuaded community members to invest in a flip-and-fix real estate operation, presenting himself on social media as a successful real estate owner. Investigators say the scheme operated as a Ponzi arrangement, using funds from newer investors to pay earlier ones. Civil lawsuits filed by multiple clients helped build the federal indictment, and one attorney representing victims said the cases involved more than 20 clients.
Agency statements in the record attribute motive and targeting to the defendant: counsel for victims said he “specifically targeted people who looked like him, people who spoke like him and people he knew had the same faith.” An acting special agent with the IRS described the sentence as reflecting the seriousness of the offense and warned about common investor protections, urging independent verification of property records and controls over investor funds.
Current documented status: Nantomah has been sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to repay over $2.7 million. The federal authorities and civil counsel remain identified as the investigating and representing parties in the documented filings.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
More Milwaukee County news · Request a correction or case update
All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.