Related Federal Cases
Buffalo Debt Collector Pleads Guilty in $31M Scam
Travell Thomas, 38, of Orchard Park, New York, has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive debt collection scheme that defrauded thousands of victims across the US.
According to court documents, Thomas, the owner and CEO of a Buffalo-based debt collection company, instructed his collectors to threaten, intimidate, and lie to victims, overstating their debts and making false claims about what would happen if they didn’t pay up.
The scheme, which ran from 2010 to 2015, saw Thomas and his cohorts collect over $31 million from victims. Of this amount, approximately $1.5 million was paid in cash to Thomas and his co-owner, Maurice Sessum, while $1.4 million was cashed from banks and ATMs.
Thomas also used tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his own expenses, including gambling debts, sports tickets, and jewelry.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara described the scheme as a ‘massive, fraudulent debt collection scheme’ that ‘stole over $31 million from vulnerable victims.’
Eleven individuals associated with the company have pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme, with Thomas’s guilty plea marking the 11th conviction in the landmark consumer fraud case.
Thomas faces sentencing in the coming weeks, and his punishment could range from several years to decades behind bars.
As the investigation continues, victims are urged to come forward and report any further incidents of harassment or intimidation by the company’s collectors.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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