Ernie Perkins, Bank Fraud and Money Laundering, Indiana 2021

Ernie Perkins, 40, of Zionsville, Indiana, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in a massive bank fraud and money laundering scheme.

The scheme, which lasted from 2009 to 2016, resulted in the theft of over $8.4 million from a Pennsylvania-based bank and a Pennsylvania-based insurance company.

Perkins, the owner of Remarkable Creative Enterprises, was convicted of various charges related to the scheme, including theft by a bank employee, money laundering, mail fraud, and tax evasion.

The scheme was carried out by a group of defendants, including Perkins, who used their positions to identify construction and renovation projects that were projected to come in under budget.

They would then submit fraudulent invoices for work that was never performed and materials that were never supplied. Once the bank paid the invoices, they would kick back a large percentage of the money to a fictitious business entity controlled by one of the defendants.

The scheme involved hundreds of fraudulent invoices and the laundering of over $8.4 million in proceeds.

Perkins' sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Sara Evans Barker on January 5, 2021.

Other defendants in the scheme received significant prison terms for their roles, including John L. Williams, 52, of Zionsville, who received 108 months in prison, and Robert Finch, 73, of Indianapolis, who received 48 months in prison.

Donald Landis, 59, of Plainfield, received 36 months in prison, while Walter Watson, 72, of Detroit, Michigan, received 18 months in prison. Shalonda Coleman, 45, of Indianapolis, received 24 months in prison.

The investigation was led by the United States Attorney's Office and agents of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/six-convicted-and-sentenced-massive-contracting-fraud-and-money-laundering-scheme