Lawyer Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding $8.7 Million in Las Vegas, along with a Compulsive Gambling Spree
Breaking News: Disgraced Attorney Sara King Sentenced for $8.7 Million Fraud Scheme* California lawyer lived high off investors' money, funded gambling spree at Wynn Las Vegas* β¨Unraveling the 'Slots Whisperer' sagaβ¨
In a dramatic court hearing on May 6, 2025, disbarred lawyer Sara King was handed a 21-month federal prison sentence for swindling $8.7 million from investors in her King Family Lending (KFL) business.
Known as the "slots whisperer," King claimed to have an unbeatable strategy for high-stakes slots - a game of pure chance where the only real strategy is hitting the button. However, the reality was far from glamorous.
King, 49, had been living the high life with her multi-million-dollar stake, lavishing in a VIP suite at Wynn Las Vegas while subsisting on a diet of cocktails, Xanax, and gambling away her clients' hard-earned cash.
Her lavish lifestyle came to a screeching halt when Wynn management discovered her alleged attempts to scam fellow guests and staff members. They kicked her out in November 2023.
A Scam in Disguise
KFL posed as a provider of short-term, high-interest loans to celebrities, professional athletes, and wealthy individuals. King promised the loans would be secured by the borrower's assets, such as jewelry, luxury cars, and other high-ticket items.
However, investigators found that, from January 2022 to January 2023, King didn't issue a single loan to third-party borrowers. Instead, she pocketed the $8.7 million from five victims who foolishly entrusted their funds to her.
The theft was discovered in February 2023 when LDR International, an investor in KFL, sued King, alleging that the $10.26 million they had invested was gone, with nothing to show for it. LDR promptly reported the case to the FBI, leading to the federal investigation.
"Lady Mafia" Strikes Again
King's attorney, Sam Cross, sought leniency, arguing that King was suffering from addiction and had lost everything - including her family and professional reputation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Waier countered, stating that the severity of the crime and King's past life as an attorney warranted a harsher sentence. An investor, a friend of her ex-husband, wrote a letter to the court, accusing King of using her legal prowess to destroy the lives of those who trusted her [The Orange County Register].
"It was an elaborate, sustained scheme built on lie after lie," the investor claimed. "What she did took planning, effort, and cold disregard for the damage it would cause."
King, who referred to herself as "Lady Mafia" during a 2024 podcast appearance, has a history of dramatics. In a nutshell, she's the phony 'slots whisperer' who couldn't resist the allure of high-stakes gambling and the unfettered lifestyle it promised. And now, she's paying the price for her greed.
- The "Slots Whisperer" Sara King, once a disbarred lawyer, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for defrauding investors in her King Family Lending business to the tune of $8.7 million.
- King's lavish spending included a VIP suite at Wynn Las Vegas, cocktails, Xanax, and gambling away her clients' funds in casino-games such as slots.
- KFL was marketed as a service providing short-term, high-interest loans to celebrities and wealthy individuals, but it was a façade for King's fraudulent scheme.
- From January 2022 to January 2023, King pocketed the $8.7 million invested by five victims, without issuing a single loan to third-party borrowers.
- Wynn Las Vegas kicked King out in November 2023 for her attempts at scamming fellow guests and staff members.
- King's criminal activities were later discovered in February 2023 when LDR International, an investor in KFL, sued her for the missing funds.
- The FBI launched a federal investigation into King's activities following LDR's report, uncovering a network of wire fraud and money laundering.
- King's defense argued that she was suffering from addiction and had lost her family and professional reputation, but the prosecution countered that the severity of the crime and King's past career as a lawyer warranted a harsher sentence.
- One of King's victims wrote a letter to the court, accusing her of using her legal prowess to destroy the lives of those who trusted her, citing King's past as a "Lady Mafia."
- As gambling trends continue to grow in Las Vegas, responsible gambling remains a pressing issue in the casino-and-gambling industry.
- This story, alongside others under crime-and-justice and general-news categories, serves as a reminder of the dark side of the casino culture in Las Vegas, emphasizing the need for vigilance and accountability.
