Former Amazon.com manager sentenced to 16 years in prison for stealing $9.4 million
A former Amazon.com manager, Kayricka Wortham, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of stealing over $9.4 million from the company. Wortham, along with six other individuals, has been charged in connection with the theft in Georgia, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern Department of Georgia.
Wortham, 32, worked as an operations manager at an Amazon Warehouse in Georgia from August 2020 to March 2022. In her role, she supervised other workers and approved new vendors and vendor invoices for the company. Taking advantage of her position, Wortham submitted over $10 million in invoices for fake vendors, leading Amazon to unknowingly pay her and the other individuals involved $9.4 million. She had her employees add the fake vendor information into the system without their knowledge.
According to the press release, Wortham collaborated with her partner Brittany Hudson, as well as Demetrius Hines and Laquettia Blanchard, who worked in loss prevention and human resources at Amazon, respectively. Hudson and Hines helped Wortham create more fake vendor accounts, while Hines used stolen personal information purchased from JaQuan Frazier.
The scheme continued even after Wortham left Amazon in March 2022. Jamar L. James, Sr., another Operations Manager at Amazon’s location in Duluth, Georgia, allegedly approved fake vendors and fictitious invoices.
While out on bond, Wortham and Hudson committed new criminal conduct by attempting to open a hookah lounge in Atlanta, Georgia. They lied about the Amazon fraud charges against them and provided fraudulent court documents to CRU Franchising Company to support their franchise deal.
Wortham pleaded guilty to the fraud charges on November 30, 2022, and has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She is also required to pay restitution to Amazon in the amount of $9,469,731.45. Additionally, she is indicted for defrauding CRU Franchising Company and forging the signature of a federal judge and seal of the Court.
Hines, Blanchard, and Frazier have also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the scheme and will be sentenced at a later date.
The grand jury has indicted Hudson and James for conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, while Burgo has been charged with conspiracy, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
This news was originally reported by Kate Perez for USA TODAY.