An Indiana woman with a prior fraud conviction and two other pending cases is facing a new charge after authorities say she posed as a federal attorney and collected tens of thousands of dollars from a family seeking help with a Fort Wayne code enforcement dispute.
Katherine Jackson, 42, formerly of Newburgh, allegedly told the family she was licensed to practice law and worked with established law firms in Fort Wayne and Chicago. Police later contacted both firms and were told she had never worked for either one.
Court records say the family paid Jackson more than $34,000 for supposed legal work, consulting services and other expenses while believing she was handling their case.
The arrangement left them with another problem. Eight Neighborhood Code Compliance hearings were held without anyone appearing on their behalf, with each missed hearing carrying a $300 fee, according to 14 News.
She Claimed She Was a Licensed Federal Attorney
The latest case began after a man told police in July that Jackson had offered to represent his family in a dispute with Fort Wayne Neighborhood Code Compliance.
According to 21Alive, the man wanted to pursue what he believed were unwarranted code enforcement fees in federal court. Jackson, an acquaintance, allegedly told him she was a federal attorney, claimed she had passed a law exam and showed him what she represented as her scores.
She also claimed to work for Samuel Bolinger and Associates in Fort Wayne and Prusak and Harkins in Chicago. Investigators later contacted both firms and were told Jackson had never been employed by them. Court records also say she was not licensed as an attorney in Indiana or Illinois.
The Family Paid for Depositions, Audits and Consultants
Investigators say the family made payments for supposed depositions, audits, emails, copies and other legal work. Some payments were made by check or cash, while others were charged through Full Circle Auto, a business associated with Jackson.
She allegedly told the family they also needed a media consulting company and a real estate consultant. Court records say she represented that the media agreement would cost $5,000 and sought money for the other consultant’s airfare, hotel and professional fees.
Police later contacted the companies. The media firm said an agreement bearing the family’s name appeared to have been altered, while the real estate consultant said he had never heard of Jackson or the family and had never had an Indiana client.
Jackson is charged with one count of fraud in the attorney-impersonation case and was being held at the Allen County Jail when the charge was announced. The attorney-impersonation charge remains pending and has not resulted in a conviction.
They Went to Federal Court and Discovered No Case Had Been Filed
Jackson allegedly appeared with the family at a Neighborhood Code Compliance hearing in February 2024 and then told them they did not need to attend future hearings. Eight later hearings proceeded without the family or anyone acting on their behalf, according to court records.
The situation came to a head after Jackson allegedly told them their federal case was going to trial June 8 at the federal courthouse in Fort Wayne. When the family arrived, they could not find Jackson, a case number or any record of the proceeding they had been expecting. They learned that no federal case had been filed on their behalf, according to 21Alive. Investigators say Jackson stopped communicating with them afterward.
A Separate $8,000 Car Case Is Also Pending
Jackson was charged in another fraud case in July after a man accused her of taking $8,000 to purchase a vehicle that he never received. Earlier reporting says Jackson told the man she owned a car lot and held a dealer’s license that would allow her to buy a 2017 Smart Fortwo at a better price.
After receiving the money, she allegedly blamed the delay on repairs and tariffs and asked for additional funds. The man contacted the Virginia dealership advertising the vehicle and learned it had instead been sold to someone in New York.
She Is Awaiting Trial in a Case Involving Her Daughter
Jackson also faces two neglect charges and a fraud charge filed in 2025 following an investigation into representations about her daughter’s health.
Investigators said a GoFundMe raised more than $1,500 while describing the child as having Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, suffering dozens of seizures each day and having only months to live. The family also received a Make-A-Wish trip.
A physician who reviewed the child’s records concluded there had been extensive maternal falsification and possible medical child abuse, according to court documents. Another doctor said the child does have Pilarowski-Bjornsson syndrome, but described the genetic disorder as chronic rather than terminal.
Jackson’s attorneys have disputed the state’s allegations and said she did not lie about her daughter’s illness to obtain support. That case is scheduled for trial in January.
An Earlier Fundraising Case Resulted in a Conviction
Jackson’s older Warrick County case has a different legal status because it ended in a guilty plea. More than a decade ago, while using the name Katherine Conapinski, she was accused of misrepresenting an organization while collecting money connected to a boy with cancer, including funds collected at his funeral.
Jackson accepted a plea agreement and initially received five years of probation, one year of home detention and an order requiring up to $20,000 in restitution. Court records later showed that she violated probation and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Verify a Lawyer’s License Before Paying Legal Fees
The Indiana Judicial Branch Roll of Attorneys is the official roster of people licensed to practice law in the state. Consumers can search by name and review an attorney’s licensing status rather than relying on business cards, claimed exam scores, contracts or documents provided by the person offering representation.
Clients should also ask for the case number after a lawsuit is filed and independently verify that the case exists. Indiana’s MyCase system provides public access to many state court cases, while federal filings can be verified through the appropriate federal court or the federal PACER system.
Unexpected requests for repeated payments for consultants, filing expenses or other services should be accompanied by documentation that can be independently confirmed. If a purported lawyer cannot provide a verifiable license, court case or connection to the law firm they claim to represent, stop sending money until those claims are checked.
