Kevin Wieck of Cromwell, Oklahoma, is headed to federal prison for six years after a jury convicted him of wire fraud and money laundering stemming from a calculated scam that preyed on friends, investors, and fellow oilmen. The 54-year-old owner of Wieck Oil Company, LLC, bilked at least eight investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling fake or inflated working interests in oil wells, all while funneling over $1.17 million in revenue into his personal accounts.
A federal grand jury returned a fifteen-count superseding indictment on July 3, 2018, charging Wieck with defrauding investors through two types of oil wells: three vertical wells and one horizontal well. He promised investors guaranteed percentages of oil revenue from the vertical wells but kept the lion’s share of profits for himself. Worse, he sold and attempted to sell interests in a horizontal well he never owned—meaning he had zero legal right to profit from or assign any stake in it. The fraud didn’t stop at lies; five counts of money laundering were tied to transfers exceeding $10,000 in criminal proceeds moved between bank accounts.
At trial, which began September 11, 2018, eight investors from Tulsa, Edmond, Michigan, Illinois, and beyond took the stand to recount Wieck’s web of deception. Some handed over cash, others co-signed loans, and several provided in-kind services—drilling, roadwork, construction—at steep discounts based on his promises of future returns. Two specifically testified they were solicited for investments in the nonexistent horizontal well stake. Their trust was repaid with silence and empty ledgers.
An FBI forensic accountant laid bare the financial carnage: Wieck pocketed at least $600,000 after production costs, not counting the value of labor and materials investors gave him. He used the quick pay option to divert all revenue into his own accounts, bypassing division orders that would have paid investors directly. His ex-wife confirmed the spoils were spent fast—luxury vacations, high-end purchases, and hotel binges followed each major investment influx.
Wieck vanished in late August 2014, fleeing to Mexico to evade accountability. He remained on the run until April 11, 2018, when U.S. Marshals took him into custody. After three days of trial testimony, the jury needed just two hours to return guilty verdicts on all counts. On May 6, 2019, Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton slammed the door: 72 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The court also ordered Wieck to pay $358,256.92 in restitution to his victims and $1,500 in special assessments. The case was investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and William E. Farrior. Court filings detail the full scope of his betrayal. For the investors left in the wreckage, justice came late—but it came.
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Key Facts
- State: Oklahoma
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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