Who is Jennifer Courtemanche? Inside the long con to swindle $500K from Vegas Knights owner Gavin Maloof
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Shocking text messages have come to light that allegedly expose 44-year-old actress Jennifer Courtemanche in a gold-digging scheme to ensnare a wealthy NHL tycoon, Gavin Maloof, in Las Vegas, with the intention of draining his bank account.
Alarming text messages between Jennifer Courtemanche and her friend
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department uncovered these messages during an investigation into threatening messages and photographs received by Maloof, who is known for his ownership stake in the Vegas Knights hockey team.
The text messages, which date back to 2017 and were exchanged between Courtemanche and her friend Brittany Burgess, paint a disturbing picture, according to 8 News Now.
Courtemanche expressed her excitement at the prospect of getting together with Maloof, stating, "OMG THIS IS IT he broke up with his b***h FINALLY and wants me to come out I'm not letting or anythinggggg stop me this is my chance for BOTH of us."
She went on to emphasize the desire for a better life, saying, "…we need to get the life we've always deserved no more struggling no more misery mental hospitals ERs, etc lol."
Burgess responded with the suggestion that they "needed a plan." To which Courtemanche alleged wrote, "We've been friends for so long I can't remember which one of us is the bad influence."
Among Courtemanche's prior acting credits, her IMDb profile lists small roles in various TV series, including 'You', 'The Vampire Diaries', 'Two and a Half Men', 'Gossip Girl', and '90210'. Meanwhile, Gavin Maloof hails from a prominent family known for their appearances on reality TV.
His sister, Adrienne Maloof, was a cast member on 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills', and she was previously married to plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, who features on another reality TV show, 'Botched'.
Police investigation into threats received by Gavin Maloof
Gavin Maloof reported the threatening messages and photographs to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, who successfully traced the number back to Jennifer Courtemanche. In May, LVMP, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, executed a search warrant at Courtemanche's residence to seize her electronic devices.
The alleged scam took a deeper turn as investigators unveiled how Courtemanche had accessed Maloof's cell phone and transferred money from his account to hers through Apple Cash payments. The amounts involved were staggering, with $93,448.00 in 2021, approximately $275,600.00 in 2022, and roughly $75,600.00 in 2023.
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The criminal complaint filed by the Clark County District Attorney's office outlined that of the 214 transactions linked to the alleged theft, 144 were initiated from a phone number belonging to Brittany Burgess, who subsequently sent the funds back to Courtemanche.
Burgess reportedly received nearly $12,000 through this scheme, while Courtemanche received a substantial sum of nearly $433,000.The investigation uncovered a total of 37 different phone numbers used in this elaborate plot.
Legal ramifications for Jennifer Courtemanche and friend
As a result, both Courtemanche and Burgess are named as co-defendants in a criminal complaint filed in Las Vegas Justice Court on October 4.
They are facing a slew of charges, including three counts of felony theft, as well as charges related to conspiracy to commit theft, money laundering or attempted money laundering, laundering or attempting to launder property, all of which are classified as gross misdemeanors.
Judge Nadia Wood set bail for Courtemanche at $10,000, with an order to stay away from Maloof. Additionally, Courtemanche was allowed to be released on bail without remaining in custody, referred to as "walk through" jail.
A preliminary hearing for this case is scheduled for March 11 next year, where the full extent of the charges and evidence will be reviewed in a court of law.