A former Illinois resident now living in Florida faces federal charges after officials believe that he cheated investors out of at least $180,000 through a phoney investment scheme.
Makaio’ Kekoa, 39, of Wimauma, Florida, was charged with two counts of wire fraud in the United States District Court in Chicago. Kekoa, formerly known as Lorenzo Hood, Lorenzo Chryssikos Hood, or “Zo”, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors claim that from 2019 to 2022, Kekoa allegedly told victims, including four people living in the Northern District of Illinois, that he could invest their money in short-term, high-yield possibilities.
According to the indictment, these possibilities never occurred. Instead, authorities claim Kekoa transferred the monies to finance personal costs, such as gambling.
The charges were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida assisted in the investigation. Kartik K. Raman, an assistant United States attorney, is leading the prosecution.
A status hearing has been scheduled for September 24, 2026, before United States District Judge Thomas M. Durkin.
Each wire fraud offence carries a possible sentence of 20 years in federal prison and court-ordered restitution if convicted. An indictment is a formal charge that does not establish guilt; the defendant is deemed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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