Madison County woman indicted for mail fraud, wire fraud

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Madison woman with nearly a dozen counts of fraud related to a scheme in which she took money from victims while purporting to have terminal cancer, vast wealth, and connections to celebrities.

According to court documents, starting in 2014, Christine Favara Anderson, 51, of Reva,  owned and operated the publishing companies known as Christine F. Anderson Publishing and Media and Sage Wisdom. Anderson took money from book authors but later failed to pay the authors their royalties as owed and did not provide products and services as negotiated. In addition, Anderson often falsely claimed to have been diagnosed with cancer to delay payment to the book authors, while also purporting to maintain vast wealth.

In addition to the alleged book publishing scheme, Anderson is also charged with orchestrating a real estate scheme where she signed contracts for expensive real estate, provided false proof of funds, and then was unable to provide the earnest money deposits.

Often, Anderson would sign bad checks for the earnest money deposits, which would never clear. While she was putting contracts on these properties, Anderson took money from individuals helping her in these real estate schemes, promising to pay these individuals back.

Anderson used her false interest in the expensive real estate to prove to her victims that she was able to pay back the loans, but never did.  Anderson’s excuses for her inability to pay the earnest money deposit and the loans included her false claims of a cancer diagnosis and freezes on her bank accounts.

Anderson is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, one count of making a false statement, and one count of concealing records in a federal investigation.

Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar of the Western District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Stanley M. Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rumsey and Madison County Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Wade Gelbert are prosecuting the case.

If you believe you are a victim of fraud or have information about the allegations in this case, please contact the FBI in Charlottesville at 434-293-9663.