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Florida Airline Fuel Supply Company and Its Owner Indicted
Sean E. Wagner, owner and operator of Aviation Fuel International Inc., and his company have been charged with participating in a scheme to defraud Illinois-based Ryan International Airlines.
According to the indictment, Wagner and AFI made kickback payments totaling more than $200,000 to Wayne Kepple, a former vice president of ground operations for Ryan, in exchange for awarding business to AFI.
The indictment alleges that from at least as early as December 2005 through at least August 2009, Wagner and AFI made kickback payments in the form of checks, wire transfers, cash, and gift cards to Kepple.
Wagner was arrested on July 19, 2013, in Weston, Florida, on a one-count criminal complaint in connection with these charges.
Ryan International Airlines provided air passenger and cargo services for corporations, private individuals, and the U.S. government, including the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The charges against Wagner and AFI include one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, as well as two counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 criminal fine for individuals and a $500,000 criminal fine for corporations. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
As a result of this ongoing investigation, four individuals have pleaded guilty to date. Three of the individuals have been ordered to serve sentences ranging from 16 to 24 months in prison and to pay more than $220,000 in restitution. The fourth individual, Kepple, pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.
The charges are the result of an investigation being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s National Criminal Enforcement Section and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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