FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON A former Special Agent with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with bank fraud and forging the signature of a judge or court officer, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division announced today.
Scott Allen Gompert, 43, entered his plea in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona before Magistrate Judge Lawrence O. Anderson. As part of the plea agreement, Gompert has agreed to forfeit assets equal to the criminally-seized amount, including approximately $550,000 in cash, a development property in Peoria, Ariz., and a 2005 Toyota Avalon.
According to plea documents, Gompert utilized his expertise and connections developed during more than eight years as an investigative agent specializing in Medicare fraud investigations to identify bank accounts holding criminal proceeds from fraudulent activity. On three occasions in 2005 and 2006, Gompert prepared fraudulent seizure warrants featuring the forged signatures of U.S. Magistrate Judges and presented the warrants to federally-insured financial institutions. The fraudulent seizure warrants directed representatives of the financial institutions holding the funds to prepare cashiers checks made out to an alleged official U.S. government seizure account, which Gompert had instead established for his own personal use. Gompert utilized this scheme to amass $1,109,159 in criminal proceeds from the three fraudulent seizures.
Gompert faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the bank fraud charge. He faces five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release on the charge of forging the signature of a judge or court officer. Judge Anderson set Gomperts sentencing for Jan. 28, 2008, before Senior U.S. District Judge Earl H. Carroll.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Matthew L. Stennes of the Public Integrity Section, which is headed by Chief William M. Welch II. The case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Division. Investigative assistance was provided by the Special Investigations Unit of the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, headed by Chief Richard Weber, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Arizona, headed by U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Knauss, also provided valuable assistance and support in connection with this matter. 07-871
Source: US Department of Justice
