BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Donnie Heilig, 48, of Oklahoma City, OK, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to eight months home detention and three years probation by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. The defendant was also ordered to pay $147,004 in restitution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti, who is handling the case, stated that Heilig and co-defendant Ann Nichols utilized a business entity known as CED Computer Services (CED) fraudulently to obtain loans for clients in the form of equipment “leases." Another co-defendant, Wilfredo Sanio, operated a business in Georgia known as SCF Funding, which acted as a broker and brought clients to CED Computer Services.
Heilig and Nichols falsely advised lease finance companies that CED was selling new equipment to clients and prepared fraudulent invoices for new equipment when, in fact, no equipment or inferior equipment was actually being provided. Upon receipt of the funding from the finance companies, defendant Nichols gave a commission to Heilig, herself, and Sanio, from the lease proceeds and sent the majority of the remaining proceeds to the client.
Ann Nichols and Wilfredo Sanio have been convicted of wire fraud and are awaiting sentencing.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
