Placer County woman sentenced to 27 months after defrauding investors of over $450,000

A Placer County woman was sentenced on Friday to two years and three months in prison for investment wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Kari Sonovich, 48, persuaded at least 13 people to invest with her and a trader in Britain between July 2008 and April 2009, saying that all money invested would go straight to the trader and could earn them returns on investments of up to 500%, according to court documents.

Of the nearly $3 million invested, Sonovich kept over $454,000 without informing investors, who did not get back their initial investments or any returns.

Some of the investors concurrently lost money in an earlier Ponzi scheme based in Folsom. The leaders of that scheme, Anthony Vassallo, 40, and Kenneth Kenitzer, 76, received prison sentences.

Sonovich was charged with three counts of wire fraud in January 2014 and ultimately pleaded guilty. She was ordered to pay restitution between $233,000 and $454,000 to investors.