Press Release
☷Co Conspirators Sentenced for Stealing More Than $1 8 Million in Fake Billing Scheme
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
May 04,2022
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Co - Conspirators Sentenced for Stealing over $1 . 8 Million in Fake Billing Scheme RALEIGH , N . C . – Three defendants were sentenced today for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in connection with a fraudulent invoicing scheme that targeted Baker Roofing Company ( BRC ) . Defendants were ordered to pay restitution of $1 , 850 , 442 to the company and received the following sentences:George William Garven , of Clemson , South Carolina , was sentenced to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release . Robert Andrew Helms , of Indian Trail , North Carolina , was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release . William Russell Davis , of Waxhaw , North Carolina , was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and three years of supervised release . “These defendants , all of whom are well - educated , successful businessmen , used their positions of privilege to enrich themselves at the victim’s expense , ” commented United States Attorney Michael Easley . “Like many white collar offenders , their choices were not born of desperation , but of greed . They thought they were above the law—but today the law caught up with them . The U . S . Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners work tirelessly to ensure that those who cheat Eastern North Carolina businesses face consequences in federal court . ”According to court documents and other information presented in court , the victim , BRC , hired Garven in 2011 to serve as the Vice President and General Manager of its Charlotte branch office . In 2014 , Helms and Davis partnered together to provide roofing subcontracting services to BRC through Davis’s business , R&K Davis Holdings ( R&K ) . Between 2015 and 2020 , R&K was used as a vehicle to fraudulently bill BRC for subcontracting work that was never performed . Among other things , Garven obligated BRC to pay R&K by generating fake invoices and subcontracts in R&K’s name . The criminal proceeds , were funneled into business bank accounts controlled by Helms and Davis and then disbursed to Garven in various forms , including gift cards and checks . The checks included fraudulent memo lines to make it appear they were related to legitimate business . Garven also directed Helms and Davis to use the embezzled funds to pay contractors to perform work on Garven’s residential properties . In furtherance of the scheme , Garven paid Helms and Davis each approximately $140 , 000 in cash . Michael Easley , U . S . Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U . S . District Judge James C . Dever III . The Federal Bureau of Investigation , Charlotte Field Office , investigated the case . Assistant U . S . Attorney Adam F . Hulbig prosecuted the case . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U . S . District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No . 5:21 - CR - 393 - D .
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