ATLANTA – In a decision handed down on December 11, 2017, a federal jury in Atlanta has convicted Erick Powell, a former operator and co-owner of the National Vocation Group job-staffing company, of one count of substantive wire fraud.
Powell, 29, of New Windsor, New York, and Ahmad McCormick, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, will be sentenced in early 2018. Both defendants face a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment.
According to U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak, Powell and his co-defendant used their company to dupe hundreds of job-seekers into paying high fees for unnecessary training with the expectation of placement in jobs that did not exist.
Powell and his co-conspirators used phony online job postings to lure unsuspecting applicants into fraudulently paying their company for unnecessary OSHA training certifications, with applicants paying $349 for the training.
The company, National Vocation Group, operated a fraudulent job-staffing company in Atlanta from August 2015 through October 2015, using Indeed.com and ZipRecruiter.com to advertise open and available jobs in the housekeeping and maintenance industries that paid above-average wages.
Several victims complained to law enforcement, and some notified local media outlets, leading to the eventual disbandment of NVG in mid-October 2015.
Erick Powell, a former operator and co-owner of the National Vocation Group job-staffing company, was convicted of wire fraud on December 11, 2017.
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
