A Texas couple has been sentenced to over six years in prison for mail fraud after stealing over $4 million from a Georgia company.
ATLANTA – April and James Thompson, a married couple from Maud, Texas, were each sentenced to 76 months in prison for their roles in a massive mail fraud scheme that targeted Forest Investment Associates (FIA), an Atlanta-based company that provides timberland investment advisory and management services for institutional timberland investors.
The Thompsons, both 44 and 49 years old respectively, worked together to submit over 400 fraudulent invoices to FIA between May 2011 and April 2019. The invoices, totaling over $4 million, claimed that work had been performed by contractors on FIA timber properties, but in reality, none of the work was ever done.
According to U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine, the Thompsons used the stolen money for their own personal benefit, including to operate James Thompson’s trucking businesses, support his race car hobby, purchase silver and gold coins, install a pool at their home, and even treat themselves and friends to a Hawaiian vacation.
The Thompsons were also found in contempt by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas for violating its orders related to the preservation of assets. They had pleaded guilty in Georgia but failed to make complete financial disclosures to the U.S. Probation Office in advance of their sentencing.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. The FBI will continue to work to hold fraudsters accountable and protect businesses from further damages.
Defendant: April and James Thompson
Criminal Charges: Mail Fraud
City and State: Maud, Texas
Exact Date: Not specified
Sentence or Outcome: 76 months in prison
Dollar Amount: $4,000,000
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: White Collor Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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