Two Men Charged With Wire Fraud

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Bill Nettles announced the indictment of Aaron Vennefron of Hamilton, Ohio and Phillip Thompson of Augusta, Georgia for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and theft of government funds. The indictment alleges that the two conspired to defraud the government by creating fraudulent invoices for payment of what appeared to be goods needed for work at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savanah River Sight. The indictment further alleges that no goods were ever received and that Vennefron and Thompson received over $4,000,000.00 in payments based on the fraudulent invoices.

The case was investigated by Special Agents with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney John Potterfield is prosecuting the case.

The United States Attorney stated that the charges alleged in the Indictment are merely accusations and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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