Former OSI Restaurant Partners Employee Sentenced to More Than Two years’ incarceration for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

TAMPA—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces that U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Jeremy David Schweickert (age 29, of Tampa) to 27 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The court also ordered Schweickert to forfeit $212,368, which constitutes Schweickert's share of the proceeds from the offense. He plead guilty to the charge on September 10, 2010.

According to court documents, Schweickert and his coconspirators stole money from their employer, OSI, by generating false and fraudulent invoices that caused OSI and/or their subsidiary company, PropCo, to wire funds to bank accounts opened in the names of shell companies and under the control of the conspirators. In total, Schweickert's coconspirators, Mark Watson and Owen Galvin, caused OSI to make thirteen fraudulent wire transfers totaling $1,919,417. Schweickert knowingly and willfully participated in the scheme by setting up shell companies, bank accounts, or creating false back up documentation for five of the 13 fraudulent wires, which totaled $803,928. Schweickert received $212,368 in stolen proceeds in exchange for his participation in the scheme to defraud. Mark Watson plead guilty to the same offense on November 18, 2010, and his sentencing date has not yet been set. Owen Galvin is scheduled to be sentenced January 14, 2011.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mandy Riedel.