An Ohio woman is facing 50 criminal charges after authorities accused her of soliciting more than $400,000 from at least nine people who believed they were investing in her sewing business or in gift card deals promising substantial short-term profits.
Chandra Snapp, 38, of Jackson Center, was indicted by a Shelby County grand jury on Aug. 27 following an investigation by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
Her charges include securities fraud, selling unregistered securities, telecommunications fraud, money laundering, passing bad checks, forgery and multiple theft offenses.
Snapp was arrested Aug. 27 and taken to the Shelby County Correctional Facility, according to The Van Wert Independent. The Ohio Department of Commerce says the alleged conduct involved at least nine investors and dates back to 2023.
Authorities Say She Solicited More Than $400,000
The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Securities says Snapp sought investments connected to two different types of opportunities.
Some money was allegedly solicited for her small sewing business. Other investments involved gift cards and came with promises of substantial profits within a short period of time.
Authorities have not publicly released a victim-by-victim breakdown or said how much of the more than $400,000 was associated with the sewing business compared with the gift card transactions.
Snapp Owns Curtains By Chandra
Snapp is identified as the owner of Curtains By Chandra LLC, according to business information cited by WHIO. The business and its relationship with investors had already become the subject of separate litigation before the criminal indictment.
Five plaintiffs filed a civil complaint in Shelby County Common Pleas Court on Nov. 15, 2024, against Chandra Snapp, Lucas Snapp and Curtains By Chandra LLC. Court records describe the dispute as involving plaintiffs who said they had been persuaded to invest significant sums in the business.
The Indictment Contains 50 Criminal Charges
The indictment includes six counts of misrepresentation in the sale of securities, six counts of securities fraud and seven counts of selling unregistered securities.
Snapp also faces one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, four counts of telecommunications fraud, one count of money laundering, nine counts of passing bad checks and five counts of forgery.
The remaining charges are two counts of aggravated theft, three counts of grand theft, three counts of theft, one count of tampering with evidence and two counts of receiving stolen property.
The charges carry different felony classifications. According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, the indictment contains four first-degree felonies, seven second-degree felonies, 11 third-degree felonies, 16 fourth-degree felonies and 10 fifth-degree felonies. The remaining two counts are first-degree misdemeanors.
The Case Followed a Sheriff’s Office Investigation
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office investigated the alleged conduct before the case was presented to a grand jury. The Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office is handling the prosecution in partnership with the Ohio Division of Securities.
Ohio Securities Commissioner Andrea Seidt said investors are entitled to honesty and transparency, while Shelby County Prosecutor William R. Zimmerman Jr. noted that financial fraud cases can require extensive investigation and coordination. Snapp was being held at the Shelby County Correctional Facility when state officials announced the indictment.
Promises of Large, Fast Returns Should Be Independently Checked
The Ohio Division of Securities maintains an online system where investors can search certain securities filings, review enforcement orders and submit complaints involving potential violations of Ohio securities law.
Ohio regulators caution that finding a filing does not mean the state has endorsed an investment or guaranteed that it is legitimate or profitable. Likewise, the absence of a filing does not automatically establish illegality because some transactions may qualify for exemptions.
Investors should ask for the investment terms in writing, including how profits are supposed to be generated, when principal can be withdrawn, what risks exist and who controls the money. Promises of substantial returns over unusually short periods deserve particular scrutiny.
Before sending money, investors can also independently verify the identity and background of anyone claiming to sell or advise on investments rather than relying solely on familiarity with the person or their underlying business. People who believe they were sold a fraudulent or improperly offered investment in Ohio can submit a complaint directly through the Division of Securities.