Charles E. Mizell, Jr., Mail Fraud, Louisiana 2023

Bogalusa Men Sentenced for Mail Fraud Scheme

In a shocking display of corporate greed, a group of Bogalusa men have been sentenced for their role in a mail fraud scheme that targeted the Louisiana Workforce Commission, netting them $53,356 in restitution.

Charles E. Mizell, Jr., 44, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and five counts of mail fraud. His co-defendants, James Creel, 48, and William Darryl King, 47, received 2 years’ probation and a $500 fine for their role in the conspiracy.

The scheme, which began on September 24, 2009, and continued until January 11, 2014, involved Mizell and his co-conspirators filing false unemployment benefit claims with the LWC, claiming they were unemployed and not getting paid. However, it was later discovered that they were actually employed by Mizell’s construction company, Chamico, Inc.

The employees would receive cash from Chamico during the weeks they were claiming unemployment benefits, reporting that they were not working and not getting any income from work. The scheme was uncovered by the Department of Labor-OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of corporate accountability and the consequences of those who engage in such schemes. As U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Polite noted, ‘The work of the Department of Labor-OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter is a testament to their dedication to protecting the public from these types of crimes.’

In related news, Roger Nadeau, 51, of Linn, Missouri, is the last remaining defendant in this case and faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release on the conspiracy conviction.

Bogalusa, Louisiana, where the scheme took place, is a small city with a population of around 10,000 people. The city’s economy is largely driven by the construction industry, with companies like Chamico, Inc. being a major player.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission has released a statement condemning the scheme and praising the efforts of the investigators. ‘We are committed to protecting the integrity of our unemployment benefits program and will continue to work tirelessly to prevent such schemes from occurring in the future.’

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