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Press Release

Local Man Sentenced On Wire Fraud And Interstate Transportation Of Stolen Property Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri

St. Louis, MO – MARTIN BACHERT was sentenced to 18 months in prison involving his scheme to sell equipment to an out-of-state buyer, receive payment, but never deliver the equipment sold.  Bachert also sold stolen property to another out-of-state victim.

According to court documents, in November 2012, Bachert, using the alias "Martin Federoa," told a California man, referred to in documents as "MR," that he worked for Emerson Electric Company and that he had connections to various companies to buy electric testing equipment. MR began purchasing equipment from Bachert, and arranged wire transfer payment to Bachert’s PayPal account.  In early August 2013, Bachert sold MR additional merchandise for $15,800, which MR paid via wire transfer. Bachert admitted with his plea that he never intended to provide the equipment to MR.  Instead, Bachert posed as his father and communicated to MR via text message that he had been in an accident, and while he was recovering in the hospital, someone broke into his van and stole the equipment he was going to sell to MR. Bachert then told MR that he was taking a job in the Ukraine and would be able to repay the money for the equipment, plus seven percent interest.  However, Bachert after making even more false representations, ultimately never repaid the money or delivered the equipment. Instead, Bachert used the money he obtained from MR and another victim, to whom he sold stolen merchandise, to pay restitution to the Court at his sentencing in another case involving prior fraudulent and illegal conduct.  

Bachert, St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty last October to one felony count of wire fraud and one felony count of interstate transportation of stolen property. He appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Franks handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Updated March 19, 2015