Fraud

Darien Student's $3.5M Shipping Fraud Scheme

21-year-old Darien College student faces 45 years in prison for orchestrating a $3.5M shipping fraud scheme.

Adriana Pulley Nov 22, 2023

Darien Student's $3.5M Shipping Fraud Scheme — Image Source: jackmacbarstool / TikTok

It's a Netflix docuseries-worthy heist: 21-year-old Matthew Frederic Bergwall, a University of Miami student from Darien, CT, decided to swap textbooks for thievery in a $3.5 million shipping fraud scheme. Bergwall is facing a potential 45-year-stint in federal prison for the scheme.

How It Worked:

Gained unauthorized access to employee accounts at a shipping company.
Entered fraudulent tracking info for high-value items like electronics and designer goods.
This fraud allowed for merchandise refunds while keeping the goods.

The Impact:

Nearly 10,000 fraudulent returns.
Loss of $3.5 million in products and sales for victim retailers.

Extravagant Spending:

Bergwall splurged on luxury items: a $41,000 Rolex watch, an electric skateboard, a smart TV, and more.
He funded lavish trips, allegedly taking his girlfriend to Dubai.

@jackmacbarstool
A University of Miami student funded his lavish lifestyle with an alleged $4 million fraud shipping scheme.
♬ original sound - Jack Mac

Source: Patch

University of Miami student charged with orchestrating multi-million dollar mail fraud scheme https://t.co/QdYMuRJs86 I wonder what sort of degree "21-year-old Matthew Bergwall"... is studying for.
— Delbert Earl Myers (@delbert_earl) November 10, 2023

Published in: Fraud

Author

Hi! I'm Adriana and I've been working for FreightCaviar as Head Writer for a little over a year now. Some of my favorite topics to cover are FreightTech, Green Freight, and nearshoring/reshoring.

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