Donald and Karlien Winberg, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Colorado 2015

State: Colorado
Category: Fraud &#038; Financial Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/husband-and-wife-who-fled-bahamas-prior-trial-sentenced-federal-prison" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

By Samuel S. Stevens, Grimy Times Crime Journalist

A husband and wife duo, Donald Winberg and Karlien Winberg, have finally faced justice after attempting to evade their charges. The couple, from Earth, Texas, was sentenced to over 7 years in federal prison for their involvement in a wire fraud scheme.

According to court documents, Donald Winberg, 44, and Karlien Winberg, 33, operated a scheme where they would advertise hay and corn for sale on the internet. However, after taking the victims’ money, they would fail to deliver the material, causing significant financial losses.

The couple’s scheme began in 2010, and they continued to commit fraud until their arrest in 2014. During their time under pretrial supervision, they committed additional fraud against hay sellers, further exacerbating their crimes.

The Winbergs fled to the Bahamas in an attempt to evade their charges, staying in the Galveston, Texas area before purchasing a sailboat and running it aground. They were eventually arrested by Bahamian authorities after a Louisiana family recognized them from a press story out of Galveston.

Both Donald Winberg and Karlien Winberg were ordered to serve 87 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release. They were also ordered to pay $1,541,689.90 in restitution, joint and several. The defendants appeared at the sentencing hearings in custody, each remanded after their individual hearing concluded.

The case was originally investigated by the FBI, with assistance from various agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department, and the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The Winbergs were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Davies, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

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