Embezzlement from oil company tied to manager’s support for exotic dancer
EAST ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis man has been sentenced to 366 days in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release as a result of his conviction for wire fraud in a scheme to defraud and embezzle from the FKG Oil Company – a crime driven in part by the man’s support of an exotic dancer, authorities said.
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced Thursday that Kevin D. Dowell, 37, was ordered to pay restitution totaling $113,984.
Dowell was the manager of the Human Resources Department of FKG Oil Co. in Belleville.
During the time period mid-2010 to April 2013, he falsified mileage expense reports, used a company credit card for personal expenses, and transferred funds electronically from the company’s bank account directly to his personal bank account in Missouri.
Dowell fraudulently obtained the funds to support his relationship with an exotic dancer, authorities said.
The fraud was reported to the Belleville Police Department and a full investigation was performed by a third party firm. At completion of the full investigation, the case was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Falsifying expense reports is a crime, Wigginton said, and he encourages people to report suspicious activity to the F.B.I. call (217) 522-9675 or email springfield@ic.fbi.gov. To report public corruption, call (877) 884-7633 or (877) U-TIP-OFF. To report health care fraud, call (888) 557-9503.
