Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Kimberly Ann Tew and Michael Tew, both from Denver, Colorado, have been sentenced for their involvement in a wire fraud scheme against National Air Cargo, a logistics company contracted by the Department of Defense. Kimberly Tew received a 48-month prison sentence, while Michael Tew was sentenced to 42 months. The sentences follow guilty verdicts returned by a federal jury in Denver on February 15, 2024.
The couple's fraudulent activities began in 2018 and involved submitting false invoices for services and items never provided to National Air Cargo. This scheme resulted in defrauding the company of five million dollars over two years. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that much of the money was spent on gambling and purchasing cryptocurrencies at ATMs around Denver. Additionally, Michael Tew failed to file federal income tax returns from 2016 through 2019.
Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch stated, “The Tews enriched themselves by exploiting the trust of an employer, and they deserve every day of these sentences." He also expressed gratitude towards IRS-CI and the FBI for their role in bringing the couple to justice.
Tom Demeo from IRS Criminal Investigation highlighted that "Michael and Kimberly Tew’s greed and desire for a lavish lifestyle led to the judgment handed down today." He emphasized that financial crimes carry significant penalties.
FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek described the scheme as "audacious and greedy," stating it fully warranted the imposed penalties. The FBI is committed to working with IRS-CI to target individuals engaged in such unlawful behavior.
Kimberly Tew was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico on August 8, 2024, followed by Michael Tew's sentencing on November 12, 2024. The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI Denver Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Fields and Sarah Weiss prosecuted the case along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hetal Doshi.
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