Wife, brother of SC Ponzi leader plead guilty

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The wife and brother of a former Anderson County councilman have admitted helping hide assets from his Ponzi scheme.

U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles said Thursday that Cassandra Kendall Wilson and Timothy L. Wilson pleaded guilty. Authorities say the pair helped Ronnie Wilson stash hundreds of thousands of dollars before a court-appointed receiver could find the money and try to disburse it to defrauded investors.

Prosecutors say Ronnie Wilson and another man promised to buy and sell silver for hundreds of customers but invested little of the $90 million they took in and either lost the money or kept it for themselves.

Ronnie Wilson is serving 19 years in prison for mail fraud. His wife and brother face up to five years in prison when they’re sentenced later.

___

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP