Later, the purchaser created a phony company to accept invoice payments by check from the contractor. In 2011, the purchaser began to accept checks from the contractor. In 2013, the purchasing officer also bought a maintenance company, and then began accepting phony payments through that company. Investigators determined that the man collected another $850,000 in fake-invoice payments.
The Ventura contractor pleaded guilty to conspiracy earlier this year. The purchaser admitted his role in collecting the phony payments and admitted that many of his invoices were fraudulent. In addition to fraud and conspiracy charges, the man also pleaded guilty to tax evasion and filing false tax returns.
The purchasing officer will spend 5 years and 10 months in jail and will be required to pay about $1.2M in restitution to the federal government.
Oxnard Fraud Attorney
When you face charges for fraudulent activity, hire an experienced fraud attorney like Robert Helfend. Mr. Helfend has 35 years of experience in criminal defense. He takes federal cases in any US district. He also takes state-level cases in Ventura County and throughout Southern California.
Mr. Helfend manages every case personally and knows what it takes to provide a successful federal defense. His first priority is to reduce or eliminate the charges against you. When that’s not possible, he will work toward the best outcome for your case.
Working with an experienced federal defense attorney can make a major difference in your case. Contact Robert Helfend or call toll-free at (800) 834-6434, (805) 273-5611, (310) 456-3317 or (818) 591-2809 for an immediate consultation on your Ventura County fraud case.
Photo Credit: Channone Arif, via Flickr.com