Florida Woman Arrested in $2.6 Million Theft Scheme Tied to Former Merrill Lynch Advisor
From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law
A Florida woman faces multiple felony charges for allegedly helping a former Merrill Lynch advisor steal millions from a high-profile NFL client, as reported by AdvisorHub.
Authorities arrested 52-year-old Octavia Monique Graham on June 30 in Fort Lauderdale. She stands charged with first-degree grand theft and two counts of money laundering connected to a financial scheme involving ex-Merrill advisor Isaiah Thomas Williams Jr. and former Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones.
Between January 2022 and March 2024, Williams reportedly accessed Jones’ personal Bank of America account, transferring $1.58 million to his own accounts through 133 separate transactions. Police allege Williams laundered another $1.3 million between 2019 and 2021 by moving funds from Jones’ accounts to those owned by Graham before funneling them back to himself.
AdvisorHub reports that investigators noted Jones did not know Graham personally. According to law enforcement, Williams spent the stolen funds on personal expenses including luxury travel, hotels, legal bills, child support, vehicle costs, and entertainment at nightclubs and strip clubs nationwide.
Williams resigned from Merrill in December amid allegations of misappropriation, unsuitable investment recommendations, misrepresentations, and unauthorized outside business activities. Merrill confirmed it promptly investigated suspected misconduct, cooperated with authorities, and worked to reimburse affected clients, according to AdvisorHub.
Following his departure, Williams briefly registered an independent RIA, Bascom Hill Wealth. However, he no longer is registered with the SEC or FINRA, which permanently barred him in April for failing to provide information tied to the investigation of his misconduct.
Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.
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