The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kansas said a Texas man has pleaded guilty to a charge related to a $1 million fraudulent customer refund scheme that involved over a dozen people.

The plea was entered in federal court in Topeka by 28-year-old Mercele Brooks of Harker Heights, Texas.  He pleaded guilty to one count of being an accessory after the fact to laundering monetary instruments.

Others charged in the case included employees at Advanced Call Center Technologies in Junction City.  Their duties included processing customer refunds for AT&T Digital Life home security systems. Between December 2016 and August 2018, they processed fraudulent refund claims totaling approximately $1 million. They deposited the funds into the bank accounts of co-conspirators who would return a portion of the money to the employees. Accounts owned or controlled by Brooks received $100,317 in wire fraud proceeds.

Prosecutors said 12 people have pleaded guilty to charges in the scheme.    FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus said in a press release, “This type of fraud, put simply is greed driven. These crimes are not victimless, as ultimately costs are passed on to the consumer.”