Fraudulent Oil Spill Claims Lead to Indictments

Fort Myers, FL – In a shocking case of deception, a 49-year-old man and his 27-year-old accomplice have been indicted for making false claims to the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement fund.

Marque Amason and William Soong, both residents of Fort Myers Beach, have been charged with fraud-related offenses. Amason faces a single count of wire fraud, punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, while Soong is charged with mail fraud, also carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years.

According to the indictment, Soong submitted a claim to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement fund seeking payment for damages he allegedly sustained as a boat captain. However, the indictment reveals that Soong was not, and had not been, a boat captain at the time of the claim.

In a separate indictment, Amason submitted a claim to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement fund seeking payment for damages he allegedly received as a boat captain. To support his claim, Amason falsely and fraudulently claimed that he had been a shrimp boat captain during a particular time period, despite being incarcerated during a portion of that same time.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys David G. Lazarus and Sara Sweeney will be prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill was one of the worst environmental disasters in recent history, causing widespread damage to the Gulf Coast and its ecosystems. The settlement fund was established to provide compensation to those affected by the spill.

The indictment serves as a reminder of the importance of honesty and integrity in seeking financial compensation for damages caused by the oil spill.