stlouis.fbi.gov | 10/19/09 | $229,000 |suspect: Thomas Faulkner
Thomas M. Faulkner has pleaded guilty to charges involving his fraudulent use of his company credit card in an expense reimbursement scheme. Mr. Faulkner used legitimate documents as a template to create false and unauthorized bills and invoices and submit them to Nestle Purina as legitimate expense items.
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.
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.
Comments