Charles Williams, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Texas 2018

HOUSTON, TX – A brazen scheme to siphon $3.1 million from The Beck Group during the construction of Houston’s Le Meridien Hotel has landed 43-year-old Charles Williams of Los Angeles in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore handed down a 72-month sentence today, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered Williams to pay back every stolen cent – over $3 million in restitution.

Williams pleaded guilty back on September 7, 2018, to charges of wire fraud and money laundering, admitting to a conspiracy involving six other individuals. The crew allegedly created a network of shell companies, funneling bogus invoices to The Beck Group for construction materials never delivered and services never rendered. The scam ran from 2016 to 2017, exploiting the high-profile Le Meridien project downtown.

At the center of the operation was Moses Said, 42, of Houston, a construction manager with The Beck Group assigned to the Le Meridien project. Said, abusing his position of trust, approved and submitted the fraudulent invoices. Once the payments hit the shell company accounts, the money was distributed, with significant portions flowing to Williams and Said. The conspirators then attempted to scrub the trail, transferring funds through a labyrinth of other companies and individuals in a desperate attempt to hide the scheme’s origins.

The other players in this elaborate fraud included Lanamasha Hampton, 42, and Collette Devoe Hines, 49, both of Atlanta, Georgia; Janell Crosby Quant, 38, of Union City, Georgia; Heather Ashley Sowa, 31, of Denver, Colorado; and William Lewis Sutton, Jr., 48, of Los Angeles, California. All six have also pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme, facing their own sentences in the coming months. The Beck Group, a reputable construction firm, was left holding the bag, forced to absorb the substantial financial loss.

Williams has been allowed to remain on bond for now, but is expected to voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility soon. The investigation was spearheaded by the FBI, and the prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vernon Lewis. This case serves as a stark reminder that even projects promising luxury and progress can become breeding grounds for criminal activity.

This is the latest in a string of white-collar crimes hitting the Houston area, and Grimy Times will continue to follow this case, and others, as they move through the federal system. The full extent of the damage caused by this conspiracy, and the ultimate penalties faced by all involved, remains to be seen.

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