Texas radio host's friend sentenced to life for her role in bilking listeners of millions

FORT WORTH, Texas -- A Texas woman who prosecutors said helped a radio show host bilk elderly listeners out of millions of dollars was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison.

Debra Mae Carter, 65, received the sentence for her July 8 money laundering conviction, according to a statement by Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells.

Carter, who represented herself and pleaded innocent, was jailed in Tarrant County, according to jail records.

Sorrells said Carter was former Texas radio host William “Doc” Gallagher's lover. Gallagher is serving three life terms for operating what the prosecutor called a Ponzi scheme.

“Gallagher's main role in the scheme was to bring in money, Carter's role was to make sure it was not recovered by the victims,” Sorrells said.

Gallagher, 83, and his Gallagher Financial Group advertised on Christian radio with the tagline, “See you in church on Sunday.” He promoted his investment business in books and on Christian radio broadcasts.

Gallagher was convicted in Tarrant County in 2021 after being convicted in 2019 in Dallas County on similar charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The scheme cost more than 170 investors, most of whom were retired, more than $31 million, Sorrells said.