Former Americo Life Employee Sentenced to Prison for Taking Agents’ Commissions
January 25, 2010 by Chad Hemenway
DALLAS January 22 (BestWire) — A Texas man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for defrauding his employer, Americo Life Insurance Co., of more than $900,000 for about a year starting in early 2003.
Mark Camacho recruited eight other people to serve as recipients of deposits he transferred from insurance agents’ commission accounts within Americo’s system from January 2003 to February 2004 at the company’s Dallas office. He would then split the funds with his co-conspirators. Camacho did not have authorized access to the accounts, said a statement from U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the U.S. Department of Justice, Northern District of Texas.
In March 2009, Camacho and several others were indicted on counts of conspiracy to exceed authorized access of a protected computer and exceeding authorized access of a protected computer.
U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater also ordered Camacho to pay about $932,197 in restitution, Jacks said. Camacho made more than 200 electronic fund transfers in varying amounts totaling that amount.
Jacks said six others have pleaded guilty to their roles in the crime and have been sentenced: Jerry R. Castillo was sentenced to two years an ordered to pay about $148,353 in restitution; Brian Harris was sentenced to 18 months and ordered to pay $344,405 in restitution; Carlos A. Rangel Jr. was sentenced to six months, five months home confinement, and ordered to pay $149,541 in restitution; Anthony Mendez was sentenced to four months, four months home confinement and ordered to pay $144,586 in restitution; Philip Hughes was sentenced to four months, four months home confinement and ordered to pay $30,572 in restitution; and John P. Mendez was sentenced to four months, 90 days home confinement and ordered to pay $22,244 in restitution.
(By Chad Hemenway, associate editor, BestWeek: Chad.Hemenway@ambest.com) BN-NJ-01-22-2010 1520 ET #
