BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor
The former employee of a mortgage services company pleaded guilty to federal charges of theft last week. Her husband entered a guilty plea on February 12th.
A veteran employee of HSBC Mortgage Services, Mrs. Michelle Guy, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud.
According to court documents, between February 2001 and August 2011, Mrs. Guy worked in various capacities within the company. Around January 2007, through November 2011, she is accused of conspiring with other individuals, including her husband, Kevin Guy, to defraud HSBC Mortgage Services, Inc., and HSBC Bank, of more than $2,216,776.12, in American Express Gift Cards, AMEX gift checks, and store gift cards.
During her employment, HSBC Mortgage Services Mrs. Guy maintained an employee Recognition Program. The program offered economic rewards to employees for positive performance. There were three different types of awards available through the Recognition Program: (1) vouchers, (2) “HSBC Cash,” and (3) gift cards and gift checks.
The divisions where Ms. Guy worked participated in the program by providing employees with HSBC Cash, not gift cards and gift checks. But, during her employment at HSBC Mortgage Services, she abused her position by ordering hundreds of gift checks and gift cards paid for by HSBC Mortgage Services and HSBC Bank.
She is accused of directing the gift checks and gift cards to her residence and office. Once the gift cards and gift checks were delivered, she and her co-conspirators, in particular, her husband, Kevin, deposited the AMEX gift checks in various bank accounts and used the gift cards to go on shopping sprees, and luxury items, court documents state.
On June 24, 2011, Kevin Guy used fraud proceeds as a down payment on a 2011 Mercedes Benz S Class priced at $96,000. During the execution of two search warrants, law enforcement agents seized approximately 72 AMEX gift checks and more than 60 store gift cards. Agents also seized more than 25 luxury purses, more than 100 pairs of designer shoes, more than 100 pairs of True Religion jeans, more than 20 pairs of designer sunglasses, four flat screen televisions, two computers, and a high-end refrigerator.
Michelle Guy is facing 30 years in prison on each charge. Kevin Guy is facing 5 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set in other plea agreement.
