BECKLEY, W.Va. – Timothy Gross, 39, of Beckley, was sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay $65,275.44 in restitution for wire fraud. Gross admitted to making a fraudulent payment with an employer-issued credit card as part of a scheme to divert $65,275.44 in credit card charges to his personal bank account.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Gross was hired by Amerihost LLC in 2020 as a maintenance worker for Beckley Town Homes, a multi-unit apartment building in Beckley. Amerihost issued Gross a credit card for legitimate business purposes and not for personal use.

On April 5, 2020, Gross used his Amerihost-issued credit card to submit a $1,712 payment to “J and Sons Electrical and Plumbing.” Gross admitted that no work had been conducted to justify the payment, and that he created a fraudulent invoice that described the payment as being for eight circuit-breaker panel boxes. Gross further admitted that he opened an account for “J and Sons Electrical and Plumbing” on the Square payments platform to divert payments from the Amerihost-issued credit card for his personal use, and linked that Square account to his personal bank account.

On at least 38 separate occasions from at least January 1, 2020, until at least April 15, 2020, Gross used the Amerihost-issued credit card to send $65,275.44 in unauthorized, fraudulent payments to “J and Sons Electrical and Plumbing” for work that was not performed. Gross created false work invoices as part of his scheme.

“This defendant’s wrongdoing required purposeful planning, and he persisted all the while knowing that his actions were criminal,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “The defendant abused the trust and authority placed in him to enrich himself, and today’s sentence serves as a deterrent to such misconduct.”

Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Beckley Police Department.

“The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General is committed to working with the Department of Justice and all of our law enforcement partners to ensure that federal funds intended to help low-income families are not wasted or misapplied,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice. “Mr. Gross’s sentencing today demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of HUD programs against fraud, waste, or abuse.”

United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Blackwell and Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-cr-191.