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Published Feb. 28, 2023
Updated Feb. 28, 2023, 6:43 p.m. ET
A serial con artist was sentenced to more than four years in prison Tuesday for bilking former NBA star Jason Kidd’s ex-wife out of more than $1 million.
Fraudster Tracii Show-Hutsona, 54, was handed the 51-month sentence by Manhattan federal court Judge Jesse Furman after pleading guilty to wire fraud in July 2022.
Hutsona apologized to her mark, TV host Joumana Kidd, who watched from the courtroom gallery as the con artist addressed the judge.
“I am very sorry to Ms. Kidd for violating the trust,” she said.
“I will pay her back,” she added. “I will continue to move forward with honesty and integrity.”
Hutsona, who had previously been convicted of federal fraud in California, claimed she would stay out of trouble with the law after her release from prison.
In brief remarks before handing down the sentence, Furman said Hutsona engaged in “despicable conduct” and that the facts of the case lead him to believe she’s a “serial con artist.”
“I want to believe you,” Furman said of her promise to remain out of trouble, while adding, “Your record doesn’t give me a whole lot of hope.”
Hutsona — who advertised herself as the founder of a lifestyle brand — served as Joumana Kidd’s personal assistant from 2015 to 2019 and had access to her personal information, which she used to siphon off more than $1 million.
She used the ill-gotten cash to spend lavishly on stays at luxury hotels, jewelry and at nightclubs, according to federal prosecutors.
US Attorney Damian Williams celebrated the sentence in a statement Tuesday.
“Not long after serving a lengthy sentence for a previous federal conviction, Tracii Show Hutsona betrayed her employer’s trust by misusing her employer’s financial information to fund her own luxury lifestyle for years,” Williams said in the statement.
“Her desire to live the high life at the expense of her victim has placed her back where she began — facing another substantial federal sentence,” he added.
In addition to the prison term, Hutsona will have to pay $1,148,759 in restitution. She’ll have to report to prison on April 13, Furman ordered.
