Three office managers of Gecko Communications Inc. have pleaded guilty at the U.S. District Court for the Western Division of Missouri, to aiding and abetting $12.5 million in telemarketing fraud.
The scheme involved charging consumers $220 advanced payments for a credit card and other ancillary benefits, but consumers only received a credit card application, according to U.S. Attorney Todd P. Graves.
Christopher L. Carlson of Glenwood, IA; Steven T. Rice of Kansas City, MO and Jason R. Spencer of Osceola, Iowa could be sentenced up to 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine of $250,000, in addition to be ordered to providing to restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled, after the U.S. Probation Office completes an investigation.
The three men managed offices for Gecko in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.
In a separate but related case, Christopher J. Ekeland, co-owner of Gecko who pleaded guilty on Sept. 16 to telemarketing fraud, has been scheduled for his sentencing on May 25.
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