Aurora Man Indicted for Fraud and Money Laundering
DENVER — Justin Manning, age 40, of Aurora, Colorado, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 26, 2017 on charges of wire fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns, Acting United States Attorney Bob Troyer and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Steven Osborne announced. Today, October 2, 2017, Manning is scheduled to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge where he will be advised of his rights and the charges pending against him.
According to information contained in the indictment, between 2012 and 2015, Manning was employed as an asset protection manager and assistant store manager at a local Walmart. In those job positions, Manning had access to blank Money Network Checks used in Walmart’s Money Network System.
Beginning in approximately October 2013 and continuing through January 2015, Manning fraudulently filled out money network checks, and caused others to fill out the checks, in the name of third parties in order to deceive other Walmart employees into believing they were legitimate checks. Manning used his management positions to access the store’s register bags. He took cash from the store’s register bags and replaced it with fraudulent Money Network Checks totaling the same amount as the cash taken so that the register bags maintained the correct total balance and other Walmart employees would not realize cash had been taken from the bags. Manning has been charged with thirteen counts of wire fraud related to the processing of the fraudulent Money Network Checks.
Manning also knowingly engaged in financial transactions utilizing the proceeds of the wire fraud. Specifically, Manning is charged with three counts of money laundering for using cash proceeds derived from the fraud to purchase a diamond wedding ring set and a Toyota 4Runner and for transferring funds between accounts at a financial institution.
Additionally, in March 2014 and 2015, Manning filed U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns for the 2013 and 2014 tax years, respectively. When he filed these tax returns, Manning knew that he had intentionally not reported as income the cash he took as part of his fraudulent scheme.
Manning is charged with thirteen counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering and two counts of filing false tax returns. The indictment also includes a forfeiture count under which the government seeks to divest Manning of the proceeds obtained through the fraud. Wire fraud carries a penalty of not more than 20 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 per count. Money laundering carries a penalty of not more than 10 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 per count. False tax statement carries a penalty of not more than 3 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
This case is being investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS CI). This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pegeen Rhyne.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
