WICHITA — A Georgia man pleaded guilty in a fraud scheme that cost Sedgwick County more than $566,000.
U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said in a statement Thursday that 49-year-old George James, of Brookhaven, Georgia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
James said someone called only A.H., asked to deposit some money into James’ account.
In October, Sedgwick County received an email from someone claiming to be from Cornejo and Sons asking the county to send payments to a new bank account. The county sent about $566,000 to his James’ account in Georgia before realizing that Cornejo didn’t request the account change.
James transferred the money to bank accounts in China and Germany and spent some of it.
County officials said in April most of the lost money had not been recovered.
