According to a press release from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Octavio Maese-Cordero, the owner of Jorsa Logistics and OMC Services-– a shipping and trucking company out of El Paso, Texas, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, plus fines, for his role in a scheme to defraud the Export-Import Bank of approximately $2,371,860.
In addition, U.S. District Court Judge David Briones also sentenced Maese to 36 months of supervised release and ordered him to pay $1,742,891.25 in restitution, $2,371,859 in forfeiture and a $200 special assessment fee.
On September 16, 2011, Maese pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Ex-Im Bank of approximately $2,371,860.
“According to court records, Maese admitted that he and co-conspirators created and signed false shipping documents that were submitted to a lending bank in Baltimore, MD. The false shipping documents, which falsely purported the shipment of construction equipment to Mexico, were ultimately submitted to Ex-Im Bank to insure the financial transaction. Maese admitted that, in fact, none of the construction equipment was purchased or exported to Mexico. Maese and his co-conspirators caused a loss to Ex-Im Bank and the U.S. Government of $2,371,859,” the press release stated.
Export-Import Bank of the U.S. is an independent federal agency that helps create U.S. jobs and provides a variety of financing options to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.