Home St. Louis Press Releases 2009 Former Group Account Director for Nestle Purina Petcare Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges
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Former Group Account Director for Nestle Purina Petcare Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

U.S. Attorney’s Office October 16, 2009
  • Eastern District of Missouri

ST. LOUIS, MO—Thomas M. Faulkner has pleaded guilty to charges involving his fraudulent use of his company credit card, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

According to court documents, from 2005 to June 17, 2009, Faulkner was a group account director for Nestle Purina Petcare and its subsidiary, Check Mark Communications. Some of his duties included developing and implementing marketing plans and strategies for other Nestle Purina divisions in the selling of products as well as media venues for advertising of Nestle Purina product. Faulkner had the authority to expense certain costs to Nestle Purina to implement the plans and strategies on a company American Express credit card. Some of the expenses legitimately incurred by Faulkner through his job included entertainment, meals and travel, and promotional items including Sirius radios, iPods and gift cards. However, when Faulkner obtained the invoices or receipts for these legitimate expense items, he would use the document as a template to create false and unauthorized bills and invoices and submit them to Nestle Purina as legitimate expense items. These expenses would be on the books of Nestle Purina and paid to Faulkner for reimbursement for fraudulent bills. Included in the fraudulent expense bills were Faulkner’s use of the American Express card for personal use including trips to Disney World in Orlando, Florida and college football games. The total amount of these fraudulent invoices paid to Faulkner is approximately $229,000. Mr. Faulkner paid $100,000 today as part of the restitution due to the victim.

“This office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these types of cases in the St. Louis area and the Eastern District of Missouri,” said Reap. “We encourage any company who believes they have been victims of this type of crime, or have employees who have committed this type of crime to report it to authorities as soon as possible.”

“It’s unfortunate Mr. Faulkner allowed his greed to overcome his moral judgment,” said Roland Corvington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in St. Louis. “He ruined his career and betrayed his employer.”

Faulkner, 41, of O’Fallon, IL, pleaded guilty to one felony count of mail fraud. He appeared before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.

Mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Restitution is mandatory. Sentencing has been set for January 15, 2010.

Reap commended the work on the case by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the assistance provided to the FBI by Nestle Purina.

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