(Image Credit: IMAGN) The Kentucky Sentate gavel rests on the wooden sound block in the Kentucky Senate chambers before the first day of Concurrence began at the state Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. March 13, 2025.
Burbank, California – A Burbank man was found guilty Thursday of embezzling more than $2.2 million from an elderly San Fernando Valley resident, defrauding the victim out of his home, family inheritance, and retirement security in a brazen abuse of trust.
Jamal Nathan Dawood, 54, who also went by “Jimmy Dawood,” was convicted by a jury on six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering following a seven-day federal trial in Los Angeles. Prosecutors say the scheme unfolded in the second half of 2019, when Dawood offered to help the victim manage real estate and retirement savings left behind by the victim’s late brother.
According to court records, Dawood facilitated the opening of a trust account that was supposed to serve as a secure way to handle the inherited funds. Instead, Dawood began transferring large sums out of the trust and into accounts he controlled—without the victim’s knowledge or permission. Some of the stolen money was also routed to associates of Dawood, described in court as individuals with personal or business ties to him.
But the deception didn’t stop there. Dawood also convinced the victim to sign over his own home and his brother’s real estate assets to corporate entities that Dawood falsely claimed the victim would continue to control. In reality, those companies were managed by Dawood and his inner circle. In total, prosecutors say, the fraudulent transfers netted Dawood at least $2.2 million in cash and property.
The stolen funds were later traced to real estate purchases in La Crescenta and Fontana—investments that federal authorities now allege were made entirely with ill-gotten gains.
The scope of the theft highlights a growing concern in financial crimes targeting elderly individuals, especially those handling large sums after the death of a spouse or sibling. Experts say these cases often rely on social proximity and emotional manipulation rather than high-tech schemes, making them harder to detect until it’s too late.
Dawood’s sentencing hearing is set for December 8 before U.S. District Judge James V. Selna. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud charge and up to 10 years for each count of money laundering.
The conviction marks a rare but significant victory in the Justice Department’s efforts to crack down on elder financial abuse—a form of exploitation that often goes unreported but leaves devastating long-term consequences for victims and families.
