An Independence woman was arrested last week following a five-count indictment by a federal grand jury charging her with defrauding an elderly victim of over $1 million dollars.
Amanda Sargent, 35, was charged in a five-count indictment on March 26, 2025, which was unsealed following her arrest today. The indictment alleges that Sargent defrauded an elderly victim she met on Facebook. Sargent made false claims to the victim and received over $1,000,000 over a nearly two-year period.
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by an elderly woman who reported that she believed herself to be a victim of fraud by Sargent. The woman met Sargent in a Facebook group that connected those experiencing homelessness to helpful resources in the Kansas City area. In late 2021, Sargent posted a request to this group seeking help to pay for car repairs and the woman responded by sending a small amount of money. Over the next nearly two years, Sargent made false claims that she needed help paying medical bills for her and her children, rent, utilities, and even assistance paying for a kidney transplant. The victim believed she was helping a young family in need and sent Sargent over $1,000,000 from late 2021 until mid-2023. Sargent’s claims were false, and she withdrew all the donations in cash for her own use.
Under federal statutes, if convicted, Sargent faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Hanson. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office.