A Seattle man, Westcott Francis-Curley, has been sentenced to three years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft involving his employer, government programs, and a former partner. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the sentencing, highlighting the significant restitution amount of $689,675 imposed on Francis-Curley.
“Mr. Francis-Curley’s fraud spiral stemmed from greed,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “After his employer discovered his theft, he stole from a program designed to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. And when those proceeds were gone, he committed identity theft against his former romantic partner. This sentence is an important step to break the cycle of fraud.”
Francis-Curley's fraudulent activities began in 2019 with his misuse of cloud computing resources at his workplace to embezzle over $550,000. He was caught attempting another half-million-dollar fraud and spent lavishly on private jets and luxury accommodations.
In 2020, he falsely claimed eligibility for nearly $100,000 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), depriving legitimate applicants of funds intended for pandemic relief.
In October 2022, Francis-Curley committed identity theft by obtaining a credit card under his former partner's name, accumulating over $1,000 in personal expenses.
Assistant United States Attorney David T. Martin described Francis-Curley's rapid financial escalation: “He had a comfortable life and a lucrative job, but that wasn’t enough... Within weeks of commencing the scheme, he was living large: private jets, luxury hotels... Only getting caught stopped that unabashed escalation.”
Francis-Curley will pay restitution to his former employer, the Small Business Administration, and the individual affected by his identity theft.
The FBI conducted the investigation leading to these charges.
