ORLANDO, Florida — Amaris Delapena, a 50-year-old from Windermere, has been sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison for wire fraud and bank fraud.
U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron handed down the sentence, which includes an order of forfeiture amounting to $194,060.09, the proceeds Delapena obtained from the fraud scheme. Delapena was found guilty by a federal jury on June 20, 2025, according to U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Court documents reveal that Delapena embezzled funds from an Orlando law firm where she worked as a paralegal. She rerouted checks intended for the law firm’s clients and vendors into accounts she controlled and transferred client payments from the law firm’s account to her own accounts. During the period between committing the offenses and her trial, Delapena earned a law degree and became a licensed attorney in Florida…