Christopher T. Crawford, Shipping Theft, Tennessee 2013

Memphis, TN – A brazen scheme to steal millions of dollars in wireless devices from FedEx has landed five men in hot water. According to an indictment, Christopher T. Crawford, a 31-year-old former FedEx material handler, and his co-conspirators defrauded the shipping giant of more than $1.7 million in 2013 and 2014.

The indictment names Crawford, Akeem Gowdy, 23, a former FedEx material handler, Tavaris Mickens, 23, a former FedEx supervisor, Juan Royal, 24, of New York City, and Jordan West, 27, of New York City, as the masterminds behind the heist.

Authorities claim that the group used fraudulent FedEx corporate shipping accounts to print labels, which they used to over-label boxes of wireless devices. These boxes were then diverted to other known and unknown co-conspirators in New York City and other cities through interstate commerce.

Each box of merchandise contained thousands of dollars worth of Verizon and/or AT&T wireless mobile devices. The indictment alleges that Crawford and West sent $10,000 in U.S. currency via FedEx to one another as part of the scheme.

Crawford is also accused of contacting a FedEx vendor call center in Tucson, Arizona to set up a fraudulent corporate shipping meter account via his wireless mobile telephone. The indictment charges each of the defendants with one count of conspiracy and one count of interstate shipping theft. They face individual sentences of up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000 for each count.

Crawford and West are also charged with one count of mail fraud, carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000. Crawford faces an additional count of wire fraud, also carrying a sentence of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Memphis Cargo Theft Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Damon K. Griffin will prosecute the case on behalf of the government. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The indictment alleges that the group’s scheme defrauded FedEx of more than $1.7 million. The defendants’ actions are a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in the shipping industry.

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