Atlanta’s Forest Investment Associates frauded by Texas couple

ATLANTA — A Texas couple, April and James Thompson, has been sentenced for mail fraud after stealing hundreds of thousands from an Atlanta-based enterprise, a timberland funding advisory known as Forest Funding Associates (FIA).

Between Could 2011 and April 2019, April Thompson submitted greater than 400 fraudulent invoices that totaled over $4 million to FIA for work her husband allegedly did for the corporate, in response to the Division of Justice. Thompson by no means labored for FIA.

“The defendants had been capable of have interaction on this fraud for thus lengthy solely as a result of the sufferer trusted them,” U.S. Lawyer Kurt R. Erskine mentioned in a information launch. “We are going to aggressively prosecute those that exploit their insider data and the belief of others to steal.”

April and James had been every sentenced to 6 years and eight months in jail, three years of supervised launch and had been ordered to pay $5,143,209 in restitution for a mixed 12 counts of mail fraud.

“The unfavorable impression of white-collar fraud is far-reaching, and the FBI continually works to carry fraudsters accountable and defend companies from additional damages,” Philip Wislar, Appearing Particular Agent in Cost of FBI Atlanta, mentioned. “The Thompsons selected self-interest and greed slightly than to make an trustworthy dwelling, and for that, they’ll spend vital time in jail.”