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New Mexico Couple Accused of Defrauding OfficeMax for $100k
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ALBUQUERQUE — Matthew Channon, 36, and his wife Brandi Channon, 33, both of Albuquerque, were arraigned in federal court Friday morning on an 11-count indictment charging them with wire fraud. Both entered not guilty pleas and were released under pretrial supervision pending trial, which has yet to be scheduled, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The indictment alleges that the Channons engaged in unlawful schemes to defraud OfficeMax of more than $100,000 by creating numerous MaxPerk Rewards accounts in fictitious names, addresses and phone numbers in order to avoid OfficeMax’s policy of issuing only one account per person, and using the accounts to claim rewards from OfficeMax to which they were not entitled, the release stated.
Counts 1 through 6 of the indictment, each of which charges Matthew Channon with wire fraud, allege that, between March 2010 and September 2010, he perpetuated a scheme to defraud OfficeMax by creating more than 5,400 MaxPerk Rewards accounts; using OfficeMax receipts for purchases made by other customers to claim rewards that were issued to accounts he controlled; purchasing items at OfficeMax using the rewards; and reselling the items for cash. He allegedly falsely claimed almost 47,700 purchases for MaxPerk Rewards accounts that he controlled, generating more than $180,000.00 in rewards that were issued to those accounts.
Counts 7 through 10 of the indictment, each of which charges Matthew and Brandi Channon with wire fraud, allege that, between Sept. 2009 through June 2011, the couple engaged in a scheme to defraud OfficeMax by using MaxPerk Rewards accounts to obtain rewards through the company’s ink and toner cartridge recycling program. The Channons allegedly created about 120 MaxPerk Rewards accounts; purchased thousands of used ink and toner cartridges at low cost; and presented approximately 24,935 of used ink and toner cartridges for recycling at OfficeMax, causing approximately $74,800 in rewards to be issued to MaxPerk Rewards accounts they controlled.
Count 11 of the indictment charges the Channons with conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with the scheme charged in Counts 7 through 10. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations which seek to forfeit property constituting or derived from the proceeds of the Channons’ illegal activities. It seeks a money judgment in the amount of $109,158.13, the money the Channons allegedly derived from their unlawful conduct, the new release states.
A conviction on each of the 11 counts in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. An indictment is merely an accusation. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Paige Messec.
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