Coweta County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Local and International Victims in Internet Scheme

NEWNAN, GA—Randolph Wayne Hill has pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering arising out of various fraud schemes he operated over the Internet involving the supply of chemicals used in farming and other industries.

“This defendant used the Internet to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from small businesses both here in Georgia and abroad,” said United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates. “As today’s conviction demonstrates, it is a priority of this office to detect and aggressively prosecute fraudsters who use the Internet to target victims in our district and elsewhere.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: In March and April 2008, Hill falsely advertised on the Internet through his company, Hill Resources LLC, that he was able to deliver multiple tons of various chemicals to customers throughout the world. On or about March 15, 2008, Hill misrepresented that he was ready to ship over 120 tons of a fertilizer chemical from the United States to a collective of farmers in Suriname, even though he had no such supplier of the chemical in the United States. In reliance on Hill’s promise, the individual acting on behalf of the farmers paid Hill over $60,000.

On or about April 15, 2008, Hill misrepresented that he would supply a company operating in Cartersville, Georgia, with over 160 tons of a chemical used in fireproofing fabrics, even though he had no such supplier of the chemical. In reliance on Hill’s promise, the company in Cartersville paid Hill almost $200,000.

Hill never delivered any product to either business nor returned the money. Hill repaid another customer with $25,000 of the money from the company in Cartersville. Hill kept the rest of the money for his personal use.

Hill, 71, of Newnan, Georgia, could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. However, in determining the actual sentence, the court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. before United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Laurel Boatright is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.Presse-mails@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.