Evergreen Reporter

A New Jersey man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his involvement in a fraudulent tire sale scheme that led to losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars. Ahmet Neidik, 65, from Fort Lee, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in January 2024 to conspiring to commit wire fraud. Before admitting guilt, Neidik allegedly fled to Turkey and later returned to the United States.

Neidik co-owned and managed operations for businesses involved in transportation, logistics, and importing/exporting. The scheme's proceeds were directed to businesses under Neidik's control, who then transferred funds to co-conspirators' bank accounts.

John K. Eckerd Jr., 61, from Dallas, was identified as one of the conspiracy's leaders. He pleaded guilty in December 2024 to wire fraud and tax crimes involving at least $14 million. His plea agreement suggests a sentence ranging from 36 to 109 months.

Eckerd collaborated with Jason E. Adkins, previously convicted and sentenced, alongside others in orchestrating a $50 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 50 investors between 2012 and late 2018. Eckerd misrepresented himself as an expert entrepreneur in off-the-road tires—large tires used on earth-moving or mining equipment—and had access to several corporations implicated in the scheme.

Co-conspirators solicited investments by falsely promising high returns through buying discounted off-the-road tires for resale at higher prices. However, defendants rarely engaged in actual tire transactions; when they did purchase tires, they used them repeatedly across multiple deals with different investors.

Defendants communicated with potential investors via face-to-face meetings and various electronic means while using private planes and fraudulent paperwork to project wealth and success. They also offered supposed neutral third-party services for shipment arrangements or escrow holdings until deal conditions were met—roles Neidik sometimes assumed by entering into escrow agreements with investors.

Neidik is ordered to pay $370,000 restitution for his role and fined $250,000 as part of his sentence.

The sentencing announcement was made by Kelly A. Norris (Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio), Karen Wingerd (Special Agent in Charge at IRS Criminal Investigation), Elena Iatarola (Special Agent in Charge at FBI Cincinnati Division), along with U.S District Judge Algenon L Marbley overseeing proceedings. Assistant United States Attorneys S Courter Shimeall Peter K Glenn-Applegate David J Twombly are representing this case on behalf of America’s interests against these defendants’ actions which have resulted negatively impacting many lives financially across states nationwide due their deceptive practices within industry circles where trust should be paramount above all else when dealing business transactions such significant scale magnitude involved here today revealed publicly through court system processes underway currently ongoing still yet unresolved fully completely finality reached ultimately soon hopefully foreseeable future ahead eventually eventually