Leasing Company Salesman Sentenced for Fraud Scheme



According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Missouri, Travis E. Honaker of Battlefield, MS was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to three years and one month in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Honaker to pay $945,200 in restitution.

Honaker pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. Honaker admitted that he engaged in a scheme to defraud his employer, Prime, Inc., from Aug. 22, 2007, to December 2011. Through his schemes, Honaker embezzled at least $945,200 over the five-year period of the investigation. The illegally obtained funds were used for Honaker’s personal living expenses.

Honaker was employed as a salesperson at Success Leasing, an affiliated company of Prime. Honaker sold used equipment, including auxiliary power units (APUs) and used trucks that had previously been leased by Success to others. After the lease period expired and the trucks and equipment were returned to the company, Honaker was tasked with managing their sale to others.

In December 2011, Prime became aware that Honaker was engaged in illegal activity when they discovered that he was not reporting cash payments for APUs that he sold for Prime. A further audit of Honaker’s activities at Prime revealed that he was also receiving payments for unauthorized “finder’s fees,” “inspection fees,” or “deposits” on trucks owned by Prime that he sold. Honaker charged several of Prime’s largest clients a fee for “finding,” “inspecting,” or “holding” trucks for them. These payments, which Honaker never reported to his employer, typically amounted to $500 or $1,000 per truck, depending on the age or condition of each truck.

Honaker created a shell company, T&H Consulting, in January 2011 for the purpose of receiving these finder’s fees and deposits. Purchasers wired funds to this account, then Honaker transferred the funds to his personal bank accounts. The creation of the T&H account served to mask the nature of the transactions by creating a layer between Honaker and the purchasers.

To view the full U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Missouri news release, click here.


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