March 26, 2020
Keith Lawrence Middlebrook, 53, whose movie credits include tiny parts in Iron Man 3, Thor, and Moneyball, a social media following of over 2.5 million followers on Instagram, and claimed Magic Johnson was a member of his company’s board of directors was arrested this week in El Segundo by an undercover FBI agent posing as an investor.
The small-time actor/life coach claimed to have invented a magic pill that would prevent and cure the coronavirus. Middlebrook was charged with one count of attempted wire fraud, a felony offense, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, according to the FBI.
“I have developed the cure for the coronavirus COVID-19. An LA Patient tested positive for coronavirus got up and walked out 48 hours and 3 hours later, that’s 51 hours after my Injection,” Middlebrook continued “A $300,000 investment would yield a $30 million return.”
The Hollywood Reporter obtained a statement by United States Attorney Nick Hanna “During these difficult days, scams like this are using blatant lies to prey upon our fears and weaknesses,” Hanna continued to say “While this may be the first federal criminal case in the nation stemming from the pandemic, it certainly will not be the last. I again am urging everyone to be extremely wary of outlandish medical claims and false promises of immense profits. And to those who perpetrate these schemes, know that federal authorities are out in force to protect all Americans, and we will move aggressively against anyone seeking to cheat the public during this critical time.”
Screenshots via Instagram