A Port St. Lucie electrical contractor and his wife were convicted Monday of committing fraud with FEMA after Hurricane Wilma.
The owners of Ener-Phase Electric Inc., Jeffrey Wayne Aunspaugh and his wife Angela Aunspaugh, were sentenced after a five-day trial by a Fort Pierce jury and face a maximum of 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, authorities said.
The jury found the Aunspaughs guilty of committing mail fraud, money laundering, and structuring financial transactions to avoid currency reporting requirements.
Evidence in court showed that they acquired more than $1 million from subcontractors with Glades Utilities Services Inc. in 2005 for repairs made after Hurricane Wilma.
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Christopher Hale, their brother-in-law and general manager of Glades Utility Services Inc., pleaded guilty to receiving more $200,000 in kickbacks, authorities said.
By withdrawing money just under the amount that would prompt reports of cash transactions, the Aunspaughs were able to withdraw $205,000 in cash in six months in 2006.
"Individuals who deliberately break down cash withdrawals into amounts less than $10,000, so as not to trigger a bank’s currency reporting requirement, are committing a financial crime,” said José A. Gonzalez, special agent in charge of the IRS' Criminal Investigation Division.
“In this investigation, IRS special agents used their financial expertise to uncover that the Aunspaughs intentionally structured cash withdrawals, in order to hide their kickback scheme,” he said.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to aggressively pursue all individuals exploiting federal government programs funded by hard-working taxpayers and intended to benefit victims of tragic natural disasters,” Special Agent David Nieland said.
The Aunspaughs and Hale are scheduled to be sentenced June 4.
