A Maryland man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for leading a multimillion-dollar warranty fraud scheme aimed at Cisco Systems, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
Chinasa Iheanyi Frank, 39, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Chinasa and partner Robert Kendrick Chambliss submitted 414 claims for repayment of Cisco 2007 to 2010, sending the pair of counterfeit Cisco equipment spare change, according to court documents.
Cisco returned more than 950 pieces of equipment for Chinasa and Chambliss, a value of U.S. $ 27 million, according to the Justice Department’s complaint in the case. Chinasa built counterfeit computer networking and telecommunications equipment the couple returned to Cisco, the Justice Department said in a press release.
Chief Judge James Spencer and Chambliss Chinasa ordered to pay about $ 18.8 million in restitution. Febrero7 Chinasa was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of obstruction of official proceedings.
Chinasa and Chambliss, 31, of Henrico, Virginia, were indicted in August. Chambliss pleaded guilty Jan. 12 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. He was sentenced on April 13 to 12 months and one day in prison.
Chambliss Chinasa paid $ 10.000 to $ 15.000 a month to help with the fraud scheme of the security, the Justice Department said in its complaint.