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August 25, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Morgantown Resident Sentenced to
27 years on Wire Fraud and False Statement Charges

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 59 year old Morgantown, West Virginia, resident was sentenced on August 22, 2011, in United States District Court in Clarksburg by Judge Irene M. Keeley.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced that: MICHAEL J. PAVLOCK was sentenced to 324 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. PAVLOCK was convicted on December 21, 2010, on twelve counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements to influence a bankruptcy case. The Court also ordered PAVLOCK to make restitution of at least $3.1 million dollars and ordered the forfeiture of 5 parcels of real estate and 27 vehicles. PAVLOCK was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending designation to a Federal institution.

“Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Michael Pavlock will no longer be able to defraud investors out of their hard earned money,” said USA Ihlenfeld. “Special Agent Brian Fox of the F.B.I. worked tirelessly in making sure that Pavlock was brought to justice and held accountable for his crimes.”

The evidence at trial established that, for the past 10 years, Michael PAVLOCK perpetuated an elaborate scheme to obtain “investment” and “loan” money based on numerous misrepresentations and false pretenses. PAVLOCK persuaded various individuals to provide him with money or property by promising significant profits through real estate transactions and business revenue. He also obtained loans by making false assurances that the loans would be repaid in a matter of weeks, if not days.

In furtherance of the scheme, PAVLOCK directed the formation of several companies--most of which never operated and none of which ever realized any profit. Despite the illegitimacy and failure of these companies, PAVLOCK used the victims’ money to purchase expensive “company property” for his personal use, including several luxury sports cars, two condos at Cheat Lake, and a hot tub.

PAVLOCK also personally profited from his scheme by using the victims’ money to pay his personal expenses, though never reporting any salary or filing any tax returns for the duration of the scheme. Moreover, from 2006 to 2009, PAVLOCK misappropriated over $50,000 of the victims’ money to pay for his girlfriend’s personal expenses, including cars, rent payments, and cosmetic dental work.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew R. Cogar.