Before his escape made national news, however, Cofield had already built a reputation unlike almost any other inmate in the federal system. Some of those assets, prosecutors say, were later used to purchase a multimillion-dollar mansion in Atlanta’s West Paces Ferry neighborhood, according to the outlet. He was sentenced in 2024 and ordered to pay restitution to the victim, but the fraud was only part of the picture. Even while incarcerated, prosecutors argued he continued directing criminal activity outside prison walls, including gang operations that extended well beyond financial fraud. Investigators believe his criminal history of elaborate planning, access to criminal associates and the millions of dollars still unaccounted for make him an especially challenging fugitive.