CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hudson Hamrick, 31, of Charlotte, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for executing a return scheme that defrauded Amazon of at least $290,000, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to plea documents and today’s hearing, from 2016 to 2020, Hamrick executed the return scheme by ordering expensive items through Amazon, such as electronics, guitars, tools, computers and other high-end consumer products, and then obtaining fraudulent refunds from the company by returning items that were significantly cheaper or broken. Hamrick also admitted to defrauding Amazon by obtaining replacement products for items he falsely claimed to have been lost or damaged, and then keeping the new items or reselling them online. Court documents show that Hamrick engaged in more than 300 fraudulent transactions that resulted in losses to the company of more than $290,000.
A sentencing date for Hamrick has not been set. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer commended the FBI for their investigation of the case, and thanked Amazon for their cooperation in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Vento, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.
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