Lampkin’s $200K Kohl’s Cash Heist Lands Him in Court

ST. LOUIS – Marshall Lampkin, 35, of St. Louis, is facing serious time after a federal jury found him guilty Tuesday of a brazen scheme to steal over $200,000 worth of merchandise from Kohl’s. The conviction caps a case revealing a level of calculated fraud that exploited the retailer’s own promotional system.

The evidence presented in U.S. District Court painted a picture of a meticulously planned operation. Lampkin repeatedly used the same “Kohl’s Cash” twice – first in brick-and-mortar stores for purchases exceeding $1,000, and then *immediately* online before the in-store transaction fully processed. This allowed him to essentially get free merchandise, a tactic he refined over months.

Court testimony revealed Lampkin wasn’t a one-off offender. He executed this scheme more than 100 times across 40 different Kohl’s locations in 13 states throughout 2021 and 2022. After acquiring the goods, Lampkin would then return the in-store purchases for *more* Kohl’s Cash, perpetuating the cycle and amplifying his ill-gotten gains. It was a logistical nightmare for Kohl’s, and a lucrative one for Lampkin – until now.

The stolen merchandise – flooring, furniture, small appliances, and a variety of other items – wasn’t hoarded. Lampkin had the goods shipped to storage units in St. Louis and a relative’s residence in Illinois. He then attempted to profit from his fraud by advertising the stolen items for sale on Facebook, brazenly trying to flip the stolen goods into cash.

Federal investigators, led by the U.S. Secret Service and the St. Louis County Police Department, weren’t fooled. A search of Lampkin’s storage units uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Kohl’s merchandise, a testament to the scale of his operation. The quick verdict – guilty on all five counts of mail fraud after less than seven minutes of deliberation – speaks volumes about the strength of the evidence.

Marshall Lampkin, 35, is now awaiting sentencing in December. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Ladendorf and Derek Wiseman will be seeking a significant punishment for the calculated and extensive fraud. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly minor retail schemes can escalate into serious federal offenses with severe consequences.