Woman accused of extorting Bucks co-owner Wes Edens plead guilty to fraud

A woman accused of running a scheme to extort Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens plead guilty to fraud in federal court on Oct. 13 in New York.

Prosecutors had charged Changli "Sophia" Luo with blackmail, extortion and other charges stemming from a romantic relationship between Luo and Edens from late 2024 through spring 2025. The blackmail began following the dissolution of that relationship.

According to court documents, Luo changed her plea to guilty to wire fraud during a federal court hearing in New York. The Wall Street Journal reported Luo admitted she lied to Edens when she told him she had recorded a sexual encounter they had. The publication also reported Luo told a judge she used the threat of a recording to try to obtain money from Edens.

Luo was also facing charges of using sex to steal from two other men, which she also plead guilty to.

Luo’s plea resolved six criminal counts including the charge that she tried to extort more than $1 billion from Edens and stole credit card information from the two other men. Luo agreed to pay $2 million in penalties.