Criminal Information — United States v. Steven A. Morrison, 4:22-cr-00058 (E.D. Va., Document 1)

Summary

Document 1, filed 07/22/22, in Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM, is a Criminal Information in United States of America against Steven A. Morrison in the Eastern District of Virginia, Newport News Division. It charges Wire Fraud (Count 1) under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2, with asset forfeiture. It alleges that Morrison was employed from in or about June 2016 through in or about April 2019 as IT Director for Suttle Motor Corporation and embezzled approximately $119,015.24 through false reimbursement claims with fabricated invoices for IT products purportedly purchased from Newegg Commerce, Inc. It further alleges approximately $35,990.19 embezzled through inflated invoices for advertising services purchased from Alphabet, Inc. (Google).

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Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 1 of 7 PagelD# 1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

Newport News Division

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CRIMINAL NO, 4:22-cr-_58

Vv. 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 2
Wire Fraud

STEVEN A. MORRISON, (Count 1)
Defendant. 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(C); 28 U.S.C. §
2461(c)

Asset Forfeiture

Ne ee Ne ee Ne eee ee ee” ee”

CRIMINAL INFORMATION

At all times relevant:

1. STEVEN ALAN MORRISON, the defendant herein, was a resident of Poquoson,
Virginia, in the Eastern District of Virginia.

2. From in or about June 2016 through in or about April 2019, the defendant was
employed as the IT Director for Suttle Motor Corporation. While so employed, the defendant was
a salaried, full-time employee of the business and a member of its management team.

3. Suttle Motor Corporation is a privately owned car dealership located at *****
Jefferson Avenue in Newport News, Virginia, in the Eastern District of Virginia.

4. The defendant was responsible for the oversight of IT operations for the car
dealership, including the installation of new software and hardware, procurement of IT hardware
and supplies, configuration of the dealership’s phone and computer networks, and to troubleshoot
as well as fix IT problems.

5. As the IT Director for Suttle Motor Corporation, the defendant routinely purchased

IT equipment and services for the business and requested reimbursement for those expenses.
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 2 of 7 PagelD# 2

6. In or about April 2019, the defendant was terminated from Suttle Motor
Corporation because the business found fraudulent invoices submitted by the defendant for
reimbursement.

7. The defendant embezzled approximately $119,015.24 from Suttle Motor
Corporation by submitting false claims for reimbursement with fabricated invoices for IT products
purportedly purchased from Newegg Commerce, Inc. — an online retailer of computer hardware
and consumer electronics.

8. The defendant further embezzled approximately $35,990.19 from Suttle Motor
Corporation by making false claims for reimbursement with inflated invoices for advertising
services purchased from Alphabet, Inc. (Google).

THE SCHEME AND ARTIFICE

9. The object of the scheme and artifice to defraud and for obtaining money and
property by means of materially false pretenses, representations, and promises was for the
defendant to embezzle money from Suttle Motor Corporation to enrich himself.

10. _‘It was part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that the defendant exploited his
position as IT Director at Suttle Motor Corporation to submit false claims for reimbursement from
the business.

11. It was further part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that the defendant requested
to be reimbursed for expenses from the purchase of IT equipment and services that the defendant
never actually purchased for the business.

12. ‘It was further part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that the defendant submitted
inflated reimbursement claims for amounts far greater than what he actually paid for IT equipment

and services for the business.
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 3 of 7 PagelD# 3

13. It was further part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that the defendant fabricated
invoices and created other documentation to justify and conceal his fraudulent claims for
reimbursement.

14. It was further part of the scheme and artifice to defraud that the defendant caused
Suttle Motor Corporation to pay him by checks drawn against the company’s business bank
account (ending in 1188) at SunTrust Bank (now Truist Financial Corporation).

15. It was further part of the scheme and artifice that the defendant negotiated the
reimbursement checks from Suttle Motor Corporation and, in so doing, caused electronic transfers
of information to occur between locations in the Eastern District of Virginia and terminals and/or

computer servers located outside the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 4 of 7 PagelD# 4

COUNT ONE
(Wire Fraud)

THE UNITED STATES CHARGES THAT:

1. The factual allegations contained above are incorporated herein by reference as if
set out in full.
2. From in or about June 2016 through in or about April 2019, the exact dates being

unknown, in the Eastern District of Virginia and elsewhere, STEVEN A. MORRISON, the
defendant herein, with intent to defraud, knowingly devised and intended to devise the aforesaid
scheme and artifice to defraud and for obtaining property by means of materially false and
fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.

3. On or about the date set forth below, in the Eastern District of Virginia and
elsewhere, STEVEN A. MORRISON, the defendant herein, for the purpose of executing the
aforesaid scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property through materially false
pretenses, representations, and promises as described above, did knowingly and willfully transmit
and cause to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate commerce, certain signs,
signals, and sounds as set forth in the table below, and from or through locations in the Eastern
District of Virginia from, to, or through computers and terminals located outside of the

Commonwealth of Virginia:

September 14, The defendant negotiated check no. 41333 at Langley Federal
2017 Credit Union in Hampton, Virginia, which was drawn against the

business bank account of Suttle Motor Corporation. As part of the
check-clearing process, there were interstate transmissions of wire
communication between Langley Federal Credit Union (the
depository institution), SunTrust Bank (the check issuer), and the
Federal Reserve (the check clearing system).

(In violation of Tile 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2.)

4
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 5 of 7 PagelD# 5

FORFEITURE

1. The defendant, if convicted of Count One of this Criminal Information, shall forfeit
to the United States, as part of sentencing pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2,
any property, real or personal, which constitutes or is derived from proceeds traceable to the
violation.

2. If any property that is subject to forfeiture above is not available, it is the intention
of the United States to seek an order forfeiting substitute assets pursuant to Title 21, United States
Code, Section 853(p) and Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(e).

3. The property subject to forfeiture includes, but is not limited to, the following:

a. A monetary judgment in an amount representing the proceeds the defendant
obtained from the wire fraud scheme alleged in this indictment.

(In accordance with Title 18, United States Code, Section 981(a)(1)(C); Title 28, United States
Code, Section 2461(c).)
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 6 of 7 PagelD# 6

UNITED STATES v. STEVEN A. MORRISON

Respectfully submitted,

Jessica D. Aber
United States Attorney

D. Mack Coleman

Assistant United States Attorney
Eastern District of Virginia
Fountain Plaza Three, Suite 300
721 Lakefront Commons
Newport News, Virginia 23606
Phone: (757) 591-4000

Fax: (757) 591-0866

Email: mack.coleman@usdoj.gov
Case 4:22-cr-00058-RCY-DEM Document1 Filed 07/22/22 Page 7 of 7 PagelD# 7

Certificate of Service

I hereby certify that on July 21, 2022, I submitted the foregoing to the Clerk of Court to be

filed. I will send a notification of such filing to counsel of record for the defendant.

James Orlando Broccoletti

Zoby & Broccoletti

6663 Stoney Point S

Norfolk, VA 23502

757-466-0750

Fax: 757-466-5026

Email: james@zobybroccoletti.com

By:

D. Mack Coleman

Assistant United States Attorney
Eastern District of Virginia
Fountain Plaza Three, Suite 300
721 Lakefront Commons
Newport News, Virginia 23606

Office: (757) 591-4028
Fax: (757) 591-0866
Email: mack.coleman@usdoj.gov


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