The U.S. just slapped a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports. Plus: Super Bowl freight surged 38%, a $600K chassis theft ring was busted at the Port of LA, and Amazon’s strong Q4 fueled speculation about an Old Dominion acquisition.
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.
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.
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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