Thirteen Charged In Multi-Million Dollar Nationwide Scheme To Defraud Staffing Companies

Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Crispian Atkins (51, Valrico, FL), Henry Bell (61, Tampa, FL), Grace Almonte (44, Miami, FL), Christopher Williamson (39, Daytona Beach, FL), Willie Beard (68, Tampa, FL), Franklin Revels (54, Tampa, FL), Valeria Walker (57, Monroe, GA), Tremayne Eddings (47, Miami, FL), Katrina Osborne (52, Tampa, FL), Natasha Martin (49, Pinellas Park, FL), Cameron Atkins (42, St. Louis, MO), Derrick Stephenson (38, Tampa, FL), and Virgil Thomas (45, Houston, TX) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Crispian Atkins was also charged with aggravated identity theft. He faces up to 284 years in federal prison for his cumulative offenses. The remaining defendants each face a maximum of 40 years' imprisonment. The indictment also notifies the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit $2,462,992.81, which is alleged to represent proceeds obtained from the offense.

According to the indictment, between May 2021 and March 2024, Crispian Atkins and his co-defendants defrauded eight victim-companies, located throughout the United States, that provide employment and payroll services, as well as financial funding. Atkins falsely represented to the victim-companies that he had business contracts with other companies to perform IT-related work, and that he needed the victim-companies' services to fulfill those contracts. The victim companies agreed to provide financial funding or hire Atkins and his co-defendants as "temporary employees" to complete the purported work. Atkins submitted fraudulent timesheets to the victim-companies that reflected work performed by the "temporary employees," and the victim-companies paid Atkins and his associates, via wire transfers, according to those timesheets. Atkins and his co-defendants then transferred the fraudulently obtained proceeds to other accounts, withdrew proceeds in cash to conceal their source, and shared in the fraudulently obtained proceeds.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Las Vegas Division, Reno Resident Agency and Tampa Division, with assistance from the Norwood Police Department (MA) and Polk County Sheriff's Office (FL). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.