Louisville Execs Embroiled in $2M Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Prison

United States District Court Chief Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. handed down 36-month prison terms to Frank Burks, Jr., 66, and Pamela Duvall, 60, for their pivotal roles in a $2 million fraud scheme at RAM Engineering & Construction, Inc.

The duo, both residents of New Albany, Indiana, were implicated in defrauding the Louisville-based company over a 13-year period, said U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr. The sentence included no possibility of parole and an order to pay restitution at a later date.

According to court documents, Burks, as operations manager, and Duvall, a bookkeeper, began their scheme in 2001. They embezzled funds through general account checks, falsifying signatures and forging endorsements on payments made payable to themselves or others.

Adding to the deceit, Burks conspired with Duvall to report a portion of his RAM income as non-taxable, allowing him to receive overpayments from the Social Security Administration totaling $11,340. Both were charged with conspiracy for theft of government funds, wire fraud, and use of a forged security.

The defendants pleaded guilty on December 5, 2016, and their conviction was secured by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Gregory. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

RAM Engineering & Construction has since been put through the wringer due to the corrupt activities of its former employees, serving as a stark reminder of the perils of unchecked financial malfeasance within any organization.