ROCKFORD - The former shipping manager for American Extrusion International (“AEI"), was indicted today on federal mail fraud charges. REVA K. VERA, 57, of Beloit, Wis. was charged with two counts of mail fraud.
According to the indictment, Vera, as the shipping manager, was responsible for authorizing payments to vendors who provided shipping services to AEI. The indictment alleges that from May 4, 2012 to Oct. 9, 2013, Vera defrauded AEI out of at least $352,743.23. The indictment alleges that Vera created fictitious invoices from Val Tech, Inc. and TQL for shipping services that those companies had purportedly performed for AEI when in fact, Val Tech, Inc. and TQL provided no such shipping services for AEI. According to the indictment, Vera submitted the fictitious invoices to AEI’s accounts payable department causing checks to be issued by AEI payable to Val Tech, Inc. or TQL in the amounts of the invoices. The indictment further alleges that after AEI’s accounts payable department generated the checks for the fictitious invoices submitted by Vera, AEI mailed the checks payable to Val Tech, Inc. to an address of Vera’s relative in Beloit, Wis., and the checks payable to TQL to a post office box in Loves Park, Ill. belonging to Vera. According to the indictment, as part of the scheme to defraud AEI, Vera obtained $85,993 in checks from AEI payable to Val Tech, Inc., and $266,810.23 in checks from AEI payable to TQL that she either cashed or deposited into her personal bank account.
Each count of mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 fine, or an alternate fine totaling twice the loss or twice the gain derived from the offense, whichever is greater, and restitution. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Vera appeared today at the federal courthouse in Rockford for an arraignment and initial appearance conducted by U.S. Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney. Vera was released on bond and is scheduled to appear for a status hearing before Magistrate Judge Mahoney on Jan. 27, 2014 at 11 a.m.
The indictment was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The South Beloit Police Department assisted in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Pedersen.
An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
