Chanise Coyne, 46, was sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for stealing about $4.6 million from a Michigan family who believed they were paying for modeling opportunities for their child. Coyne fabricated texts, emails and invoices to support the scheme and spent most of the money on gambling, with roughly $200,000 used on Taylor Swift concert tickets. She was ordered to pay $4,669,962.76 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release after her sentence. Authorities say this incident follows a prior alleged scam involving a fake Santa photoshoot reported in November 2024.
Boston Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for $4.6M Fraud Against Aspiring Child Model’s Family; $200K Spent on Taylor Swift Tickets
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency
A Boston woman has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting she defrauded a Michigan family out of millions of dollars that were supposed to pay for modeling opportunities for their child. Chanise Coyne, 46, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was given a five-year prison term, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office.
Coyne admitted she collected approximately $4.6 million in advance fees from the family, claiming she would arrange modeling events and other opportunities across the country for their daughter. Prosecutors say Coyne created fabricated records — including text messages, emails and invoices — to make the scheme appear legitimate.
How the Money Was Spent
Instead of using the funds to secure modeling work, most of the money was used for Coyne’s personal expenses and gambling. Investigators determined roughly $200,000 of the stolen funds were spent on Taylor Swift concert tickets in Florida.
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA
Restitution and Supervised Release
In addition to the five-year custodial sentence, Coyne was ordered to pay restitution totaling $4,669,962.76. She will also serve three years of supervised release after completing her federal prison term.
“This was not a mistake or a momentary lapse in judgment. This was a calculated, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that preyed on a family's trust and a child's aspirations for personal financial gain,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Those who build their lifestyle on lies, deception, and stolen money should expect serious consequences. FBI Detroit will continue aggressively pursuing fraudsters who target Michigan families and holding them accountable for every dollar they steal.”
Prior Allegations
Local station Fox2 reported this was not Coyne’s first alleged scam. In November 2024 she reportedly organized a Santa Claus photoshoot that she later claimed was canceled because the Santa actor contracted monkeypox. Fox2 said the client initially was not refunded; the Santa actor later provided text messages showing Coyne herself claimed to have contracted monkeypox. After the station’s investigation, the money in that earlier incident was returned to the family.
This case highlights the kinds of elaborate deceptions fraudsters may use to exploit families pursuing opportunities for their children. Authorities say they will continue to prioritize investigations into schemes that target vulnerable families and children.
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