Adam Bernaix of Edwardsville, Illinois, is headed to federal prison for 37 months after masterminding a years-long fraud and money laundering scheme that bled $350,000 from his employer through a shell company he created solely to steal.
Bernaix, a former project manager for Albert Arno, an HVAC contractor based in St. Louis, exploited his position to funnel money through Trident Management Solutions—a nonexistent entity he set up to submit false invoices for services never rendered. He billed companies doing business with Albert Arno, then manipulated invoice markups so his employer unknowingly covered the fraudulent costs.
According to his plea agreement, Bernaix pocketed approximately $350,000 through the scam. Even after his father-in-law—Trident’s only employee—left the company and the shell entity ceased all operations, Bernaix continued sending invoices and inflating client bills through Albert Arno to keep the cash flowing.
The fraud relied on a web of deception built on forged paperwork and deliberate misrepresentation. Bernaix used the U.S. mail system to transmit false invoices, triggering federal mail fraud charges. He also laundered the illicit funds, converting them into personal income through layered transactions designed to obscure their origin.
In July, Bernaix pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering. Today, he faced the consequences before United States District Judge Henry Autrey, who imposed the 37-month sentence and ordered $427,713 in restitution to the victim company.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Albus prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
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Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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