An Apopka resident, Keith Oelerich, has entered a guilty plea to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Oelerich, 62, now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years and could receive up to twenty years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been determined.
Court documents indicate that in December 2018, Oelerich—who owned Empire Sheds and More, LLC—established an agreement with a loan financing company. The arrangement allowed Empire Sheds to submit rent-to-own contracts between the business and its customers for storage sheds. In exchange, the financing company paid Empire Sheds the purchase price for each shed while customers were required to make regular monthly payments under their agreements.
From December 2018 through September 2023, Oelerich used other people’s personal information to create over one thousand fraudulent rent-to-own contracts. These false agreements were then submitted to the loan financing company. According to authorities, this scheme resulted in payments totaling $17,964,680—the amount Oelerich has agreed to forfeit as proceeds from his crimes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation into the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey Bratt and Diane Hu are prosecuting.
"United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Keith Oelerich (62, Apopka) has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Oelerich faces a minimum penalty of 2 years, up to 20 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set."
"According to the plea agreement, in December 2018, Oelerich, the owner of Empire Sheds and More, LLC (Empire Sheds), a portable storage shed company, entered into an agreement with a loan financing company. Under the agreement, Empire Sheds submitted to the loan financing company rent-to-own contracts between Empire Sheds and its customers for the rental and purchase of sheds. The loan financing company paid Empire Sheds the purchase price of the sheds, and Empire Sheds’ customers were required to pay the loan financing company regular monthly rental payments for the sheds under the terms of the rent-to-own agreements."
"Between December 2018 and September 2023, Oelerich used other individuals’ personal identifiable information to create 1,043 false and fraudulent rent-to-own agreements and submitted those false and fraudulent agreements to the loan financing company. As a result, the loan financing company paid Oelerich a total of $17,964,680, the purchase prices of the sheds referenced in the agreements. Oelerich has agreed to forfeit $17,964,680, the proceeds he obtained as a result of his offenses."
"This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chauncey Bratt and Diane Hu."
