Dallas DJ ASAP and Wife Sentenced to 40 Years in $30M Pandemic Fraud Scheme

A federal judge has handed down one of the most significant pandemic-era fraud sentences in the region, delivering 40 years each to a Dallas-area celebrity DJ and his wife for running a $30 million pyramid scheme that preyed on thousands of financially desperate Americans during COVID-19.

Marlon Moore — known professionally as DJ ASAP — and his wife, LaShonda Moore, were each sentenced to four decades in federal prison following their conviction on conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering charges. More than 10,000 victims nationwide lost money to the couple’s operation, known as “Blessings in No Time,” or BINT.

Marlon Moore, 39, built his public profile over years in the Dallas entertainment scene. He is perhaps best known for his appearances on BET’s *106 & Park* and his role as a fixture on the Dallas DJ circuit, including appearances at events like “Spring Bling” as far back as 2010. His career gave him a platform, a public image, and — prosecutors would later argue — a credibility he used to devastating effect.

LaShonda Moore, 38, stood alongside her husband as a co-architect of the scheme. The couple married in 2019 and, according to investigators, funded a jet-set lifestyle on the proceeds of BINT. Their polished social media presence and, notably, a reality TV appearance were cited by federal authorities as deliberate tools used to build public trust and attract victims.

Together, the Moores presented themselves as a successful, aspirational couple — the kind of image that made their pitch feel not only plausible, but culturally resonant.

The Scheme: ‘Blessings in No Time’

BINT launched at what prosecutors described as the peak of economic desperation — the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when millions of Americans were out of work, facing eviction, and hungry for financial lifelines.

The program was marketed as an exclusive, invite-only community where members would financially “bless” one another. Court records show the Moores promoted BINT through weekly livestream broadcasts that drew thousands of viewers, promising participants they could turn a $1,400 payment into an 800% return within weeks. Those unhappy with the results were assured they could receive a full refund.

The operation relied on a structure of “playing boards” with positions labeled Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water. New recruits were required to contribute money that would then flow to earlier participants — the defining mechanics of an illegal pyramid scheme. Investigators determined that the Moores repeatedly manipulated the board structure to ensure that they and their family members received the largest payouts.

IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Christopher Altemus Jr. made clear who was being targeted. “This scheme deliberately targeted the African American community,” he said following sentencing, “exploiting cultural trust and community ties.”

Federal investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Secret Service, and the IRS Criminal Investigation division spent years tracing the money flowing through BINT’s operation. The case first surfaced publicly in 2023, when a federal grand jury returned an indictment against the couple.

The government charged them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. Trial evidence placed total victim losses above $25 million; sentencing filings pushed that figure past $30 million.

The Trial and Verdict

Marlon and LaShonda Moore were convicted on June 9, 2026. The jury found both guilty on all counts — conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering.

At sentencing, each count carried stacking penalties: 20 years for the conspiracy and wire fraud convictions, and 10 years for money laundering — totaling 40 years apiece.

The Justice Department framed the outcome in pointed terms. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva stated that the couple “launched an investment fraud scheme and cheated struggling Americans out of $30 million” at the worst possible moment.

U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs was equally direct, saying their scheme “has earned them a well-deserved stay in federal prison.”

The department described the case as one of the most consequential pandemic-era fraud prosecutions in the region.

The DJ ASAP case carries weight beyond the courtroom. It is a story about how trust — cultural, communal, and digital — can be weaponized. The Moores didn’t just run a financial scam; they built a brand around it, leveraging livestreams, social media, reality television, and community language to give BINT the appearance of legitimacy.

The IRS-CI’s Altemus said it plainly: the couple used “a polished image” to conceal what was happening behind the scenes. The victims — more than 10,000 of them — weren’t fooled by recklessness. They were deceived by design.

As federal prison sentences begin for both Marlon and LaShonda Moore, the case stands as a warning to a broader ecosystem of online financial schemes that have flourished in the years since the pandemic. For tens of thousands of families who handed over $1,400 in search of a blessing, justice — while long overdue — has finally arrived.

*YHTL covers news and culture for the Baltimore/DMV area and beyond. Follow us for more reporting on stories affecting Black America.*