Leslie Evans

Evans was involved in the purchase of a foreclosed Connecticut mansion. It was a transaction that became central to federal fraud cases filed in 2018 that saw four other people plead guilty to bilking investors out of millions. The group was accused of luring foreign investment in a Palm Beach hotel with the promise of inclusion in the federal EB-5 visa program, which expedites consideration of visa applications for foreigners who contribute at least $500,000 to development projects that create domestic jobs. According to court filings, dozens of people paid the hefty fee, plus an extra $40,000 each, and lost their money. Alleged victims of the EB-5 scheme claimed in a 2016 lawsuit to have lost a combined $50 million. Evans reached undisclosed settlement agreements with 61 plaintiffs in the suit, but admitted no wrongdoing.