Federal Jury Finds Clarion County Man Guilty on 30 Counts of Money Laundering and Wire and Mail Fraud

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After deliberating for just under two hours, a federal jury in Pittsburgh on October 14, 2026, found Seth Allen Aikens II guilty of 17 counts of wire fraud, seven counts of mail fraud, and six counts of money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Aikens, 29, of Crown, Pennsylvania, was tried before United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy.

The evidence presented during the week-and-a-half trial established that, between 2016 and 2020, Aikens carried out a scheme to defraud customers by making false representations about software design, production, and other services he would perform for those customers through several purported businesses he owned and operated in Clarion County. This scheme included, for example, false claims from Aikens of possessing expertise and capabilities to provide services in those areas; the defendant producing and providing to prospective clients fictitious documents showing business relationships with well-known reputable companies and bank statements falsely reflecting account balances in the millions of dollars earned from past projects; Aikens demanding additional money from clients for various fees; and the defendant making various lulling statements to deceive clients on the status of their projects, along with numerous other false representations.

The evidence further established that customers paid Aikens for the promised services using interstate wires, the U.S. mail, and/or private carrier services. Further, Aikens used customers' money to purchase personal vehicles and equipment, including a number of items in excess of $10,000.

Judge Hardy scheduled Aikens's sentencing for February 17, 2027. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorneys Barbara K. Doolittle and Eleni F. Skezas prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Aikens.