Former General Manager of Anchorage Business Sentenced to 58 Months for Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska announced that James Wohlers, the former general manager of Anchorage-based GBR Equipment/Oilfield Services, was sentenced on October 20 to 58 months in federal prison for defrauding the business of millions of dollars while also committing tax evasion. The court ordered Wohlers to pay nearly $3 million in restitution and a $200,000 fine. Wohlers, 58, is from Deatsville, Alabama. The Justice Department said the case is part of its National Fraud Enforcement Division work.
According to court documents, Wohlers was hired by GBR in 2008 as its human resources manager and became general manager in 2009, overseeing vendor interface, employee hiring, payroll and accounting, including coordinating wire transfers from GBR's bank account to outside accounts. In 2019, an audit was completed after employees determined the company was earning sufficient revenue but was unable to pay vendors and employees. The audit revealed that from at least 2013 to 2019, Wohlers executed wire transfers from the GBR account that did not benefit the company and used GBR's corporate credit cards for personal expenses.
GBR provides oilfield services on the North Slope and elsewhere in Alaska. Prosecutors said Wohlers embezzled millions from the company through his control of its finances while also evading taxes. The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Anchorage 联邦大楼（资料图），来源 Wikimedia Commons，公共领域
