A former employee at Amazon in Georgia has been sentenced for stealing more than $9.4 million.
Kayricka Wortham worked as a manager for Amazon in Atlanta. She and six others have been charged in connection to what the Department of Justice calls a “scheme,” accusing them of fraud to steal millions of dollars from the online retail giant.
Worthman pled guilty to the charges late last year, according to officials, along with another Atlanta area resident.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said Wortham and Demetrius Hines of Smyrna used their positions at the company and submitted fake invoices for fake vendors, causing Amazon to pay about $9.4 million to the pair and multiple co-conspirators, WSBTV News reported.
Wortham is accused of using her position as an operations manager at an Amazon warehouse to submit fake invoices for fake vendors, as well as using her supervisory position to approve both new vendors and payment, authorities say.
She was also called the “leader of the scheme” and accused of giving fake vendor information to unknowing subordinates, who put the information into the Amazon vendor system.
Wortham would then approve the fake vendors and let them submit invoices and receive payments from Amazon.
“Wortham and co-conspirators then submitted fictitious invoices to Amazon, falsely representing that the vendors had provided goods and services to Amazon. Wortham approved the invoices, causing Amazon to transfer millions in fraudulent proceeds to bank accounts controlled by her and her co-conspirators,” USDOJ said in a statement.
Wortham and co-conspirator Brittany Hudson paid for personal real estate and luxury cars, including buying a $1 million home in Smyrna.
USDOJ said the two bought a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2021 Dodge Durango, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle with the ill-gotten funds.
Wortham is also accused of recruiting fellow co-conspirators who worked at Amazon.
Together, the group stole personal information and then used it to commit fraud and submit fake vendor accounts. Then, they were paid in fraudulent proceeds as part of the scheme.
Wortham and Hudson were released from jail but continued to take part in criminal conduct, the USDOJ added.
“In January 2023, they were working with CRU Franchising Company to open a hookah lounge in Midtown Atlanta. During the due diligence to close the deal, CRU discovered and asked about the Amazon fraud charges against them. In response, Wortham and Hudson allegedly lied to CRU, claiming that their Amazon-related criminal charges were dismissed,” USDOJ said. “The two then emailed fraudulent court documents to CRU that purported to show dismissal of the charges and contained forged signatures of Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. and forged seals and signatures of the Clerk of the Court. Hudson also allegedly emailed CRU doctored bank statements and personal financial statements that fraudulently inflated the balances in her accounts to support the franchise deal.”
Other members of the conspiracy were indicted on June 20.
“A federal grand jury indicted Brittany Hudson, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Jamar L. James, Sr., 47, of Calera, Alabama, for conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, and Hudson for forging the signature of a federal judge and seal of the Court,” USDOJ said. “Darrel J. Burgo, 32, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was charged in the same indictment with conspiracy, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft. These charges are pending.”
Hines pled guilty on Nov. 30, 2022, and other co-conspirators plead guilty on June 27. However, none have been sentenced.
Wortham will have to serve 16 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, in addition to having to pay back the stolen money to Amazon.
The Justice Department made Wortham forfeit more than $2.7 million from the fraudulent proceeds as well as the vehicles she purchased. She has been indicted for defrauding CRU and forging a federal judge’s signature and a seal of the court, those charges are still pending.
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