(Newport News, Virginia) – Lanaire E. White, 38, of Hampton, Virginia, was convicted yesterday of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of government property, use of unauthorized access device, and felon in possession of a firearm by a federal jury sitting in Newport News, Virginia. White, along with his former wife, Coleen Newton-White, was first indicted in February, 2011 for their participation in a conspiracy to commit wire, wire fraud, and theft of government property. A superseding indictment was returned in May, 2011 adding the additional charges.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Brian D. Miller, Inspector General, General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, and Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after the jury returned the verdict before the Honorable Mark S. Davis.
“White and his ex-wife swindled more than $300,000 by selling access to government-funded gas cards,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the public’s money and rooting out all forms of fraud against the government.”
“It is intolerable that White and Newton-White would steal from the government using GSA credit cards at gas stations for personal profit,” said Inspector General Miller.
“The criminal act of using one’s official position to perpetrate fraud against the U.S. Government is an unacceptable act which violates the public’s trust,” said SAC Alex Turner. “I am pleased that this joint investigative and prosecutorial effort was successful. However, the more important result is instilling in the citizens of Hampton Roads that the FBI, in full partnership with our federal partners, will pursue this type of criminal behavior with the intent of exacting justice to its fullest.”
According to the evidence introduced at trial, the defendant convinced his former wife to systematically steal GSA fleet Credit Cards from the Fort Monroe Motor Pool. He then found numerous customers from the Newport News and Hampton area to purchase gasoline and sometimes diesel fuel for $1.50 a gallon and pay White in currency or checks. The credit card bills were paid by the Government and amounted to losses in excess of $300,000.00. The defendant belongs to the Moors, a separatist group which does not recognize federal jurisdiction. Coleen Newton-White pled guilty to her participation in the wire fraud conspiracy in May and will be sentenced on August 12, 2011 in Newport News Federal Court. Lanaire E. White is scheduled to be sentenced on September 27, 2011 and faces a maximum sentence of twenty years on the conspiracy and wire fraud convictions, five years for theft of government property, and ten years for the unauthorized access device and firearm convictions.
This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General, General Services Administration, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and Howard J. Zlotnick prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.
