The final defendant has been sentenced in a sprawling counterfeit coupon operation run out of a Virginia Beach home that federal prosecutors say caused nearly $32 million in losses to retailers and manufacturers nationwide.
Sherise Williams, 40, of Palmetto, Florida, was sentenced to three years and five months in prison for mail fraud for her role in the scheme.
According to court documents, the operation was led by Lori Ann Talens, of Virginia Beach, who designed, created and produced counterfeit coupons from her home between April 2017 and May 2020. Talens used social media and mobile apps to connect with coupon enthusiasts and sell the fraudulent coupons, many of which carried inflated values that allowed customers to obtain products for free or at steep discounts…