A Huntington Beach man was sentenced Jan. 6 to 98 months in federal prison for duping investors with false claims about a COVID-19 cure and treatment at the onset of the pandemic.
Keith Lawrence Middlebrook, 57, who’s also a part-time actor, received the sentence from United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who also imposed a $25,000 fine. He was ordered to begin serving his prison term immediately.
“Middlebrook fraudulently solicited investments in various companies with a series of false promises,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “He induced victims to invest their money by promising them enormous returns.”
In May, a jury convicted Middlebrook of 11 counts of wire fraud following a three-day trial.