Pinellas man pleads guilty in murder-for-hire plot

FLORIDA — A Pinellas County man has pleaded guilty to a murder-for-hire plot and fraud schemes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida (USAO) has announced.

According to the announcement, Alexander Lesczcynski, 24, of North Redington Beach, has pleaded guilty in two cases against him.

In a case pending before U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven, Lesczcynski pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering.

In a second case pending before U.S. District Judge James Moody, Lesczcynski pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and obstruction of justice.

Lesczcynski faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison in the fraud case and up to 10 years in prison in the murder-for-hire case, the USAO said.

According to the court documents, Lesczcynski used fictitious charitable entities, including Love & Bliss, Inc., to engage in numerous frauds. The schemes included fraudulently applying for and receiving two Payroll Protection Plan (“PPP”) loans totaling approximately $195,910, and engaging in a check-kiting scheme, and attempting to deposit $2.7 million of worthless checks into the Love & Bliss, Inc. business account.

Lesczcynski reportedly laundered the proceeds of the PPP and check-kiting schemes through multiple accounts in an effort to conceal those proceeds from the United States and forestall its recovery. The United States ultimately seized $337,000 from an account Lesczcynski controlled, and, when he discovered that the money had been frozen, he attempted to have it released by producing a fabricated pardon purportedly signed by former President Donald Trump, the USAO said.

According to the USAO, in a separate fraud scheme, Lesczcynski reportedly filed fraudulent warranty deeds purporting to deed to himself and his businesses 10 properties around the United States collectively valued at more than $300 million. When property owners and attorneys attempted to correct the fraudulent deeds, Lesczcynski responded by sending harassing and threatening letters, emails, and faxes. Among the victims of Lesczcynski’s deed scheme were Victim 1 and Victim 2.

In April 2022, a grand jury in the Middle District of Florida charged Leszczynski with several crimes related to the above-described fraud scheme, including fraud related to the property owned by Victim 1 and Victim 2, in case, United States v. Alexander Leszczynski, 8:22-cr-155-MSS-SPF. He was arraigned on May 17, 2022, and ordered detained.

In August 2022, the FBI said it became aware that while incarcerated at the Pinellas County Jail, Leszczynski sought out a hitman to kill Victim 1 and Victim 2. Leszczynski allegedly reported to a confidential informant that he had $45,000 hidden at his residence available to pay someone to kill the victims.

According to the USAO, Leszczynski relayed to the confidential informant that his pending criminal case (the fraud case) would have to be dropped if the victims were dead. The confidential informant agreed to put Leszczynski in contact with a purported hitman, who was an undercover agent.

On September 8 and 9, 2022, Lesczcynski reportedly had calls with the undercover agent. Among other details, the USAO said Lesczcynski shared Victim 1 and Victim 2’s names, addresses, physical descriptions, and approximate ages and provided additional details that would allow the undercover agent to find photographs of Victim 1 and Victim 2 online. Lesczcynski also is said to have negotiated the price, settled on paying $30,000, and repeatedly ensured the undercover agent that he wanted Victim 1 and Victim 2 dead, the USAO said.

The fraud case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Largo Police Department, the Indian Shores Police Department, and the Palm Beach Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones. The murder-for-hire case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale.