Augusta Man Sentenced for Theft of Government Funds

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Phillip Thompson of Augusta, Ga. was sentenced for conspiracy involving theft of government funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 371.  United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, sentenced Thompson to 23 months in jail after a sentencing hearing. The judge further ordered that Thompson repay $4,580,469.83 in restitution and, after his release from the Bureau of Prisons, that he serve three years on supervised release.

Facts presented in court established that Thompson worked at the Savannah River Site for Wise Services, and that, beginning in September of 2009 and continuing for several years, Thompson was involved in a scheme in which he and a codefendant stole money using false and fraudulent invoices. An investigation by the U. S. Department of Energy Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Thompson and his codefendant stole more than six million dollars.

April G. Stephenson, Acting Inspector General for the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, said: “The Office of Inspector General remains committed to ensuring the integrity of our contractors and subcontractors. Those who choose to abuse their positions of trust while hiding behind sophisticated embezzlement and fraud schemes, will be held accountable.

The U. S. Department of Energy Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney John C. Potterfield of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.