KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a USPS Agent and a detective were honored for their investigation into an $8 million international fraud scheme.
U.S. Postal Inspector Matthew Murrow and Kansas City, Mo., Police Detective Sarah Throckmorton were honored on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, during the 15th Annual LECC Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. Murrow was honored for his investigation into an $8 million fraud scheme led by Lisa Barwick-Majeski, a St. Robert, Mo., woman who conspired with sources in Nigeria to defraud more than 1,000 victims.
The scheme involved the distribution of counterfeit US Postal Service money orders and cashier’s checks. Barwick-Majeski organized the activities of the group, including her mother, neighbors, and friends as they mailed the counterfeit money orders and checks to victims and received wire transfers from the victims, whom Barwick-Majeski had contacted online regarding Craig’s List purchases or Secret Shopper jobs. Many of the victims were disabled or low income and were attempting to work from home when they fell victim to Barwick-Majeski.
In presenting the Guardian of Justice Award to Murrow, Larson noted the extensive searches, surveillance and travel required for the investigation. Murrow coordinated with multiple federal agencies in an effort to identify and prosecute the suspects in Nigeria, but was unable to pursue those charges.
Murrow’s investigation resulted in the successful prosecution of five defendants and a 12-year prison sentence for Barwick-Majeski, the ringleader of the group, who was convicted of leading the scheme and targeting over 1,000 victims worldwide, resulting in actual and attempted losses of approximately $8 million.
When Barwick-Majeski arrived at the federal courthouse in Springfield, Mo., for her sentencing hearing on August 19, 2016, Murrow observed that she appeared to be faking an injury. She was dramatically struggling with a walking aid, which Murrow had never seen her use before. Her sentencing was continued to Nov. 10, 2016. On that date, Barwick-Majeski again arrived at the courthouse using the walker and struggling dramatically to enter the courthouse. While entering the courthouse, she attempted to fall near one of the court security officers. She then went into the women’s restroom, where she was later found lying on the floor and requesting an ambulance. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital and her sentencing was cancelled.
Murrow, believing this was a ploy by Barwick-Majeski to avoid being sentenced, conducted surveillance at the hospital and observed Barwick-Majeski leaving the hospital with a friend. Murrow observed the friend pull up to the hospital entrance driving Barwick-Majeski’s vehicle. Barwick-Majeski stood up from a wheel chair unassisted and walked to the vehicle. After Barwick-Majeski got into the passenger seat of the vehicle, her friend drove to another part of the hospital parking lot and Barwick-Majeski, without any assistance or limited movement, exited the passenger seat, walked around the vehicle to the driver’s seat, and drove away.
Murrow captured this activity on camera, and later recorded Barwick-Majeski driving the vehicle without assistance. This evidence was used to support the 12-year prison sentence for Barwick-Majeski.
The investigation and subsequent prosecution of Barwick-Majeski and her co-conspirators serve as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in preventing and investigating international financial crimes.
Defendant: Lisa Barwick-Majeski. Crime: Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. City and State: St. Robert, MO. Date: August 19, 2016. Sentence: 12 years in prison. Dollar Amount: $8 million.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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