Columbia-Area Men Sentenced for Defrauding Bayer

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that Lewis Thornwell Truesdale, Jr., age 59, of Irmo; John Wade Thompson, Jr., age 65, of Columbia; and William Gary Parker, age 58, of Columbia, were all sentenced today in federal court in Columbia for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. Truesdale received five months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five months of home confinement. Thompson was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment, to be followed by seven months of home confinement. Parker received six months’ imprisonment, to be followed by six months of home confinement. All three were ordered to pay $55,000 toward a total restitution figure of $165,000 owed to the victim, Bayer Healthcare. United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie presided. The three pled guilty in May 2011.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Thompson and Parker were employees of Medical Services of America (MSA), a health care provider with offices in Columbia. Truesdale owned a commercial real estate business.

Bayer Healthcare maintained a Business Development Fund to help pay marketing expenses for its products. For instance, MSA could order koozies, wrist bands, and other giveaway products through vendors and have their expenses reimbursed through the fund.

The defendants came up with a plan in which Truesdale generated fake invoices for marketing products that were never produced. Truesdale presented the fake invoices to Thompson and Parker, who then submitted them to Bayer for reimbursement. The three obtained approximately $165,000 that they were not entitled to, split evenly between them.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Winston D. Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office handled the case.