Ex-manager who defrauded Amazon of nearly $10m, jailed for 16 years

A former Amazon operations manager, Kayricka Wortham – also known as “Kayricka Dupree” and “Kayricka Young” has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison following a nearly $10 million fraud scheme in which she started to steal money from Amazon using fake invoices.

The former Amazon manager had earlier pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the US on November 30, but allegedly committed more crimes while on release after posting bond. According to the filed lawsuit and judgment, Ms Wortham must also pay restitution to Amazon in the amount of $9,469,731.45. 

She will also forfeit every asset she has in her possession which includes more than $2.7 million in fraudulent proceeds from multiple bank accounts. Other assets include a home in Smyrna and vehicles (including a 2019 Lamborghini Urus, a 2022 Tesla Model X, a 2018 Porsche Panamera, and a Kawasaki ZX636 motorcycle) purchased with the illegal money.

In a statement, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office Steven R. Baisel said,

This individual stole millions from a business that employed her – exploiting not only their trust but our nation’s financial systems. Thanks to the hard work of our partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, her sentence reflects the seriousness of her crimes and sends a message that this kind of fraudulent activity will not be tolerated.

Apart from Kayricka Wortham, her “gang of seven” have also now been charged for the role they played in the elaborate fraud scheme.

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But, how did it start?

In August 2020, Kayricka Wortham began working as an operations manager, a role that gave her the authority to approve new vendors and handle vendor payments. Unfortunately, Wortham took advantage of her position and engaged in fraudulent activities by creating fake vendor information.

She then instructed her subordinates to enter this falsified information into Amazon’s vendor system. By approving these fake vendors, she enabled their accounts to submit invoices for goods and services.

Wortham’s scheme involved submitting over $10 million in fictitious invoices to Amazon, leading the company to transfer approximately $9.4 million to pay these fraudulent vendor bills. Wortham was not alone in this operation. She had accomplices, including her partner Brittany Hudson, who owned a business named Legend Express that had a contract with Amazon for package delivery services.

To further facilitate the scheme, Wortham recruited two additional co-conspirators. Demetrius Hines, an employee in Amazon’s loss prevention department, and Laquettia Blanchard, a Senior Human Resources Assistant at the company. Both Hines and Blanchard provided Wortham with names and Social Security numbers, which were used to create fake vendor accounts.

According to a report, Blanchard obtained names and Social Security numbers by using those of her relatives and associates. On the other hand, Hines allegedly obtained stolen personal identifying information from JaQuan Frazier, who was reportedly involved in the illicit trade of such information.

After Kayricka Wortham left her position at Amazon in March 2022, it was discovered that she and her accomplices were involved in fraudulent activities that extended beyond her departure date and continued until June 2022. This indicates that Wortham and her co-conspirators maintained their involvement in fraudulent actions even after she had officially left the company.

Breaking more laws

Following the fraud scheme, Kayricka Wortham was arrested and booked into jail. However, in September 2022, she appeared before a judge who set the terms and conditions for her bail order. Despite the charges against her, she was released on a $5,000 bond, provided she does not violate any other laws while on release.

For context, When a person is arrested and charged with a crime, the judge reviews the circumstances and determines whether to grant bail. Bail is the process of securing the release of a defendant from jail while awaiting trial. However, in certain cases where the person is considered a danger to society or a flight risk, bail may be denied, and the person is held in police custody, a situation referred to as being “remanded.” If a person is eligible for release, the judge issues a bond order.

In the case of Kayricka Wortham, she was granted a $5,000 bond, indicating that she or someone on her behalf paid this amount or provided collateral to secure her release. However, she must adhere to the conditions set by the court and avoid any further violations of the law while on release.

In February 2023, a significant turn of events occurred when Kayricka Wortham’s bond was revoked by a judge. The decision to revoke the bond was made due to allegations of a fresh criminal act. During the period when she was on bond, she and Brittany Hudson were engaged in a business venture with Cru Franchising Company to open a hookah lounge in Atlanta.

However, Cru Lounge, which is a registration company, made a discovery that raised concerns. It discovered and inquired about previous Amazon fraud charges against them. In response, Wortham allegedly provided false information to Cru, claiming that the charges had been dismissed.

To further support their false claims, the two individuals reportedly sent fake court documents via email to Cru. These documents were fraudulent in nature and included forged signatures of Chief US District Judge Timothy Batten, Sr., as well as forged seals and signatures of the court clerk.

The use of forged court documents and misleading information is a serious legal and ethical concern. Such actions are generally considered criminal offenses, potentially including charges of fraud, forgery, and obstruction of justice.

Judgment passed

Apart from the 16 years imprisonment, Wortham has also been indicted for defrauding Cru and forging the signature of a federal judge and seal of the court. But those charges remain pending. As for the other co-conspirators: Hudson, James, and Burgo have been indicted on various charges. Hines, Blanchard, and Frazier have all pleaded guilty to the various charges they faced and are awaiting sentencing.