A Florida man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a building materials company in Chatham County, Georgia, by creating fraudulent invoices.
John Laakso, also known as “John Larson” and “John Trebesch,” 56, faces four counts of wire fraud, each carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with substantial fines, restitution, and supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the indictment, Laakso worked as a contractor and later as an engineering manager for GAF Materials Corporation, a building materials company based in Savannah, Georgia. His duties included procuring equipment and services for the company’s facility.
From 2021 to 2023, Laakso allegedly used fictitious identities and created pass-through companies to defraud his employer. He is accused of awarding contracts to these fake companies, which then subcontracted with legitimate vendors to supply goods or services at a lower cost. Laakso is said to have pocketed the difference between the inflated invoice amounts and the actual costs.
The scheme led to GAF paying over $1.3 million in fraudulent invoices, with Laakso allegedly keeping hundreds of thousands of dollars for personal use.
U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg called the case a betrayal of trust, stating, “This indictment alleges a scheme in which an employee betrayed the trust of an employer for self-enrichment at the employer’s expense.” The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Bradford C. Patrick.
Criminal indictments are formal charges, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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