In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced federal charges against four people in the U.S. for defrauding more than 800 authors of nearly $44 million. The scheme, which ran from 2017 through 2024, falsely promised to turn manuscripts into blockbusters—then delivered nothing. Victims were contacted through unsolicited calls and emails, told their work had been selected by publishers or studios, and pressured into paying fees that never materialized.
Amazon provided information to support the FBI’s investigation, contributing to the indictment. The three defendants were arrested in December 2024 and face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, with maximum penalties of 20 years in federal prison.