Anthony David Flores and Anna Moore dress up as John Lennon and Yoko Ono in this Fulton Yoga Collective Facebook photo from 2020.

A Fresno man was sentenced in Los Angeles County to 188 months in federal prison for defrauding a vulnerable physician out of more than $2.7 million before his death. Anthony David Flores, 47, then attempted to defraud his estate from an additional amount exceeding $20 million. 

The hairstylist and his former girlfriend, Anna Rene Moore, 40, who owned a Fresno yoga studio, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to several felonies for defrauding the physician out of more than $2.7 million before his death.

Flores was sentenced by United States District Judge Percy Anderson, who also ordered Flores to pay $1 million in restitution. 

“This defendant heartlessly lined his own pockets while his victim mentally and physically declined and ultimately died,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a press release. “Financial fraudsters can prey on anyone, even the most financially successful among us. We hope that our efforts to convict and now sentence this defendant bring some solace to the victim’s family.”

Krysti Hawkins, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said Mr. Flores and his co-defendant lived on the victim’s massive wealth. At the same time, they allegedly robbed and exploited his vulnerabilities. The defendant deprived the victim’s family access to their loved one and then dragged them through years of litigation. 

“This case is a reminder that grifters who prey on vulnerable and unsuspecting victims cannot be tolerated by society or the law,” said Hawkins. 

Flores pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.

Moore pleaded guilty in August 2023 to seven felonies in this case: one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of engaging in monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.

Flores and Moore have been in federal custody since January 2023.

“Mr. Flores’ exploitation of a mentally ill person to steal his wealth is despicable, and he will now reap the consequences of his actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office, in a news release. “Protecting vulnerable people from scammers will always be one of CI’s top priorities, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these horrible crimes.”