A Clark County District Court judge sentenced Jennifer Courtemanche and Brittany Burgess on Tuesday for their roles in a scheme to steal from Las Vegas businessman Gavin Maloof. Courtemanche, who dated Maloof, received a suspended 12-month jail sentence, meaning she will serve probation with credit for one day already served in jail. Burgess was also sentenced on the same charge. Both women pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor conspiracy to commit theft; Courtemanche's remaining felony charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
According to the plea agreements, Courtemanche agreed to pay Maloof nearly $445,000 in restitution and sign a criminal confession of judgment, while Burgess agreed to pay $11,652. Courtemanche may withdraw her plea and have the case dismissed if she provides proof of full restitution payment. Neither woman made a statement or offered an apology in court, shielding their faces from cameras.
An amended indictment stated the pair conspired to access Maloof's cell phone through deception to send Apple Cash payments to themselves. The first theft occurred in June 2021. Police said the investigation began as a harassment case after Maloof received texts and photos from multiple VoIP numbers. Text messages from 2017 showed Courtemanche telling Burgess, "I've been so down and out and POOR... we need to get the life weve always deserved," to which Burgess replied, "…we need plan."
In a victim impact statement, Maloof described the betrayal as extending beyond finances. "While standing beside me as my partner, she was secretly stealing from me, orchestrating an elaborate scheme to deceive me," he said. "The person I believed loved me was instead exploiting me and maintaining the appearance of a committed relationship. This crime was not simply financial; it involved deception, manipulation, emotional abuse, harassment and the intentional abuse of trust over an extended period of time."
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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