Four individuals have been convicted on Thursday for their involvement in a fraudulent customer refund scheme in Kansas, which amounted to $1 million.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently announced the conviction of several individuals for wire fraud crimes in connection with a $1 million kickback scheme. The scheme involved four former employees of Advanced Call Center Technologies in Junction City.
According to Danielle Thomas from the DOJ, the employees were responsible for processing customer refunds for AT&T Digital Life home security systems. Over a period of time from December 2016 to August 2018, these employees processed fraudulent refund claims amounting to a total of $1 million.
The conspirators deposited the cash into bank accounts of other individuals involved in the scheme. Later, these individuals would send back a portion of the money as payment. The Kansas conspirators, in particular, include:
-
- Kanesha Mercer – pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sentenced to 14 months in prison.
- Darius Polite – pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Waiting for sentencing.
- Rudy Hunt – pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
- Veronica Kilman – pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
According to Stephen A. Cyrus, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge, this type of fraud is driven by greed. He emphasizes that these crimes are not victimless, as the costs are ultimately passed on to the consumer. The investigation revealed that several individuals were involved in this scheme, and this plea serves as a demonstration that they are being held accountable for their actions.
