Local Businessman Charged with Wire Fraud for Using Investors’ Funds for His Personal Use
Defendant Allegedly Stole Approximately $800,000 from His Business Investors

ATLANTA—The co—founder of Geometrix has been charged in a federal criminal information with defrauding business investors of approximately $800,000. Kevin Patrick Loughery, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, who co-founded Geometrix in 2007, was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on the federal charge of wire fraud and was released on bond.

“Instead of keeping his business investors’ funds secure in an escrow account, the defendant is charged with using hundreds of thousands of dollars to support his lavish lifestyle,” stated United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “The charges against Loughery reflect our ongoing commitment to crack down on investment fraud.”

Mark F. Giuliano, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office, stated, “When the defendant diverted investor funds to his personal account, he left behind his multiple investors-turned-victims now suffering substantial financial losses while he pursued a life of affluence. The FBI remains well-suited and committed to investigating such cases of wire fraud that often significantly impact many victims.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2008, Kevin Patrick Loughery began soliciting investments from his friends and business associates in Geometrix, a Georgia start-up company that he co-founded in 2007. Loughery assured investors both telephonically and via e-mail that their investment would remain in escrow until the completion of Geometrix’s issuance of stock and accompanying documentation.

In an e-mail to one such investor, Loughery assured the investor that the money would be kept in an escrow account, and Loughery instructed the investor to wire the money into such an account. However, the money never went to an escrow account because Loughery’s wiring instruction was not for an escrow account but rather was for Loughery’s own account for a separate business, KLM Investments, of which Loughery was the sole proprietor. The investor wired over $300,000 into the account. Loughery then sent the investor an e-mail stating that the investor would receive 400,000 shares of Geometrix for his investment. The investor never received those shares.

In total, Loughery solicited $780,000 in investments from various investors that were supposed to be kept in escrow but instead were spent by Loughery. Loughery subsequently declared bankruptcy.

This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Karlyn J. Hunter is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Information Office at USAGAN.Pressemails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.justice.gov/usao/gan.