07/06/2023

Mastermind of $10 million Amazon fraud scheme sentenced to 16 years in federal prison

U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA - Kayricka Wortham has been sentenced for stealing more than $9.4 million from Amazon.com while employed as a manager for the company.  Seven individuals, including Wortham, have now been charged in connection with the scheme.

“The defendant abused her position of trust at Amazon to steal nearly $10 million from the company based on a brazen fraud scheme involving fake vendors and fictitious invoices,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan.  “She then committed new crimes while on bond, even creating a fake dismissal document purporting to be from the court and that included the forged signature of the Chief U.S. District Judge, all for the purpose of misleading a franchising company about the status of her criminal charges.  Her prison sentence recognizes the magnitude of her fraud and serves to protect the integrity of our courts and justice system.”

“The Secret Service takes cases of fraud extremely seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office Steven R. Baisel. “This individual stole millions from a business that employed her – exploiting not only their trust, but our nation’s financial systems. Thanks to the hard work of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, her sentence reflects the seriousness of her crimes and sends a message that this kind of fraudulent activity will not be tolerated.”

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