Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury in Memphis has returned a nine-count indictment against a Texas man for operating a mail scheme aimed at defrauding FedEx, a Memphis-based commercial carrier, out of more than $400,000.
According to the indictment, Robert W. Clark, 58, of Travis County, Texas has been charged with nine counts of mail fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a maximum of three years of supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system.
Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, made the announcement last week.
According to the indictment, from December 2019 until September 2022, Clark used mail forwarding services and FedEx drop boxes to ship 67 packages, later claimed that the packages had been lost, and filed claims with FedEx seeking reimbursement for their contents. Using the physical address of the mail forwarding service and a fictional name for the sender, Clark created the appearance of sending packages from Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington state. The indictment indicates the packages were instead deposited in FedEx drop boxes located in Texas and shipped through the company’s hub in Memphis.
In support of his claims, Clark submitted bogus invoices to FedEx placing the value of each package at $8,000 or more. The claims checks were forwarded to Clark and deposited into a bank account he controlled. FedEx paid claims on 44 out of the 67 packages Clark generated in the scheme, according to court records.
Clark was initially arrested in Texas and had his initial appearance in the Western District of Tennessee on September 25, 2023. His next court appearance is scheduled before U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 9:45 a.m. at the Federal Building in Memphis.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. Assistant States Attorney Joe Murphy is prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government.
