NEW ORLEANS, LA – Wayne Soniat, 61, of New Orleans, admitted today to systematically pilfering over $437,346 from his employer over a four-year period, a scheme built on fabricated payroll and ghost employees. The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed Soniat pled guilty to charges of wire fraud and filing false statements on his federal income tax returns, a betrayal of trust that reached deep into the books of a Louisiana food production company.
Soniat, formerly a warehouse manager for the Metairie, Louisiana-based “Company A” – which also operates a plant in Reserve, Louisiana – was responsible for managing temporary employee time sheets and ensuring accurate payment. Instead, authorities say he exploited that position, creating a network of “ghost employees” on the payroll. From November 2009 through October 2014, Soniat allegedly signed off on time sheets for workers who never clocked a single hour, diverting the funds for his own personal use.
The scheme involved approximately 200 fraudulent wire transfers, funneled through debit cards issued in the names of these phantom employees. Soniat didn’t bother with complex money laundering; he simply withdrew the stolen funds as cash from ATMs throughout the New Orleans area and used the money to cover his personal expenses. The brazenness of the operation suggests a calculated risk, and a blatant disregard for the financial health of Company A.
But the financial damage didn’t stop there. Federal prosecutors also revealed Soniat failed to report the income derived from his embezzlement on his federal tax returns, resulting in a loss to the U.S. Government of approximately $43,885 in unpaid taxes. This dual-pronged crime – theft from a private company *and* defrauding the government – significantly elevates the stakes and potential sentence.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the collaborative investigation led by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, with crucial assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana Financial Crime Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg is prosecuting the case, promising a full accounting of Soniat’s crimes in court.
Soniat now faces a potential prison sentence of up to twenty-three (23) years. His sentencing hearing before Judge Feldman is scheduled for May 16, 2018. While a plea deal could reduce the sentence, the sheer scale of the embezzlement and the tax evasion component suggest Soniat will spend a significant time behind bars for his calculated and prolonged betrayal.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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