AUGUSTA, GA: A Florida man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his part in a scheme to steal hospitality services by claiming to be part of a famed rap group.
Aaron Barnes-Burpo, 29, of Crestview, Fla., was sentenced to 84 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Barnes also was ordered to pay nearly $300,000 to 19 businesses defrauded in the scheme, and must serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison term.
For several weeks, Barnes-Burpo and his co-defendant, Walker Washington, 52, of Augusta, posed as famous musical artists and their retinue to defraud multiple businesses.
The scam unraveled on November 21, 2019, when staff at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Augusta became suspicious and alerted the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
“Hopefully, some of the businesses that were defrauded by this scam will be able to recoup some of their losses as a result of this sentence,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and other state and local authorities, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia G. Rhodes.
Related Federal Cases
- Michael H. Boatwright, Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud, Georgia 2021 · Washington
- Leaford George Cameron, Mail and Wire Fraud, NJ 2024 · New York
- Michael Mazar, Mail and Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Florida 2024 · Washington
- Juan Carlos Batlle, Wire Fraud, Puerto Rico 2024 · Washington
- James Malone, Bank Fraud, Georgia 2023 · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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