The man who died Aug. 8 after jumping from a 15th-floor balcony during an FBI arrest attempt had been indicted on multiple counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding women he met on dating apps, according to court documents obtained by ABC 7/WJLA.
Shawn Steven Harris jumped from the Alexander Apartments in the 4300 block of King Street around 6 a.m. as federal agents attempted to serve an arrest warrant for wire fraud and false impersonation of a federal officer, according to an indictment filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.
ALXnow reported Aug. 8 that Harris died after jumping from the balcony while FBI agents were executing the court-authorized warrant. His identity had been withheld pending notification of next of kin.
According to the federal indictment, Harris operated a fraud scheme from October 2019 through November 2021, targeting at least four women he met through online dating platforms, including Bumble. He used multiple fake identities and claimed to work for government agencies, including the CIA, Treasury Department, and Defense Intelligence Agency.
Harris allegedly convinced victims to let him use their credit cards by promising government reimbursement and extravagant gifts, including pet dogs, elimination of student loan debt, houses, and automobiles — none of which he intended to deliver, prosecutors said.
One victim was a single mother of two whom Harris promised $50,000 while spending at least $15,000 on her credit card for OnlyFans subscriptions, electronics, food delivery, and ride-share services, according to the indictment.
Harris used fake names on dating profiles, including Shawn Martinez, Eric Shun, and Gordon Shumway, while providing fraudulent documentation that claimed the federal government was responsible for the costs.
