Two Men Sentenced in Multimillion Dollar Fraud Scheme

RICHMOND, Va. –A Pennsylvania man and a Georgia man were each sentenced yesterday to 46 months in prison for participating in a fraud scheme causing millions of dollars in loss to victims.

According to court documents and testimony at hearings, from approximately September 2016 to March 2021, Carl Anthony McNeill, 59, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and Richard Thornhill Crock, 75, of Mableton, Georgia, along with other co-conspirators, ran an advance fee scheme targeting individuals, small businesses, churches, and other entities that could not obtain conventional lines of credit though banks. The co-conspirators promised these victims that, using their relationships with major investment banks, the co-conspirators could obtain lines of credit for the victims. The scheme required that the victims advance a deposit consisting of 10-15% of the line of credit sought, representing that the deposit would be held in escrow and returned if they did not obtain the line of credit. In fact, the co-conspirators did not have any relationships with the investment banks mentioned in their dealings with the victims, and did not safeguard the victims' funds in escrow.

The fraudulently obtained funds from victims were misapplied to pay co-conspirators; cover the payroll and operating expenses of C&D Corporate Services, the company McNeill used to commit the fraud; and pay frustrated victims seeking the return of deposited money. Crock also falsely represented to victims that their advanced funds would be insured via policies issued through a Georgia-based insurance company. These policies were also fraudulent, as the insurance company did not have sufficient assets on hand to compensate victims under such policies.

McNeill was ordered to pay over $5.8 million in restitution and Crock was ordered to pay over $2.4 million in restitution to victims. 

Co-defendants Jayson Ryman Colavalla and Ksyntoilious Miller are scheduled for sentencing on June 20 and July 11, respectively. They each face maximum sentences of 20 years in prison for their role in the conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Moore and Avi Panth prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-132.