“My office is committed to intercepting and incapacitating fraudsters who threaten the integrity and safety of our communities and effectively raise the cost of goods for all consumers.” And countless Walmart employees were pressured by Adarius Ferguson while he made fraudulent returns.” U.S. One associate required emergency medical treatment after being assaulted during a theft. Others had their vests, name tags, and store radios stolen. Some store associates had Walmart keys stolen from their hands as they opened electronic cases for the defendants. “This crime not only affected a major retailer, it affected the lives of hundreds of Walmart employees. Stealing money without violence is still theft, it’s still serious, and it’s still something that people need to be accountable for.” It’s all of the people that go to Walmart to buy things that now have to pay more for things because Walmart has to pay for the theft, somehow. . . . In discussing the broader implications of the fraud scheme, Judge Jonker explained, “It isn’t just Walmart. People just piling up electronic equipment and walking out the front door, with the goal of going back in to ‘return’ the product,” said Judge Jonker. “Brazen is exactly the way to describe what happened. The group stole over $275,000 in Walmart electronics and conducted fraudulent returns in excess of $400,000. Using a variety of means, they altered the Walmart receipts from purchased goods and used them to conduct returns of both the stolen goods and the purchased goods, effectively getting double the return value for each item they purchased as part of the scheme. They also purchased high-priced electronic goods matching those that were stolen. The seven men sentenced as part of this scheme are:Īs part of the conspiracy, the codefendants stole high-priced electronics, such as internet routers, Apple products, and iRobot vacuums, from Walmart stores. “This sentence marks the end of rampant crime sprees by six men who stole from and conducted fraudulent returns at over 300 Walmart stores across the nation,” said U.S. Jonker sentenced the leader of the conspiracy, Adarius Ferguson, of Benton Harbor, to 144 months in prison. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that the last of seven defendants was sentenced for a retail theft and wire fraud scheme they executed at hundreds of Walmart stores in 38 states.