Former Collin County Resident Sentenced for Metroplex Wire Fraud Scheme

PLANO, Texas – A 52-year-old Aurora, CO man has been sentenced to federal prison for a wire fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown and FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. DeSarno.

            John Russell Scrivner pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2019, to wire fraud and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.  Scrivner was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $341,981 to a victim of the wire fraud scheme.

According to information presented in court, from July 2013 to March 2016, Scrivner, a former resident of McKinney, Texas, was employed as the General Manager of a Texas company, Steel Fabrication Services, when he devised and executed a scheme to defraud the company of funds and property.  The FBI’s investigation showed that Scrivner diverted company funds to a bank account he controlled, used money to pay expenses to set up a separate business he controlled, and used the company money to pay for personal expenses.  Scrivner was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 9, 2018. 

            “This was greed, pure and simple,” said U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Texas.   “Employers have to put trust in their managers, but it leaves them at risk for these types of frauds.  Companies need checks and balances in place to prevent this from happening to them.”

“The defendant used his position of trust to deceive and defraud his employer,” said Matthew DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Field Office. “The FBI does not tolerate acts of corporate fraud and will pursue individuals who use their access to profit financially.”

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Gibson. 

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