HAMMOND — Randi Scannell, a 66-year-old business owner from Valparaiso, Indiana, has been sentenced to federal prison following a guilty plea to wire fraud charges. United States District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio handed down a sentence of 10 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Scannell is also required to pay $460,182.69 in restitution.
Scannell owned Custom Drying Solutions, a firm specializing in the construction and renovation of drum dryers. The company entered into a management agreement with Company A in 2015, involving the management of Company A’s production facility for a fixed weekly fee plus reimbursement for labor and payroll expenses.
Between September 2015 and August 2020, Scannell submitted numerous fraudulent invoices to Company A, claiming reimbursement for payroll expenses. These invoices masked payments to Scannell and her family members, issued by a third-party payroll service. As a result, Company A inadvertently compensated Scannell and her relatives a total of $460,182.69 for unearned wages.