Operator of Fraudulent Moving Company Sentenced for Conspiracy

ATLANTA - Shedrick Giles and Tasheen Raphael Pickett, both of whom owned and operated moving companies, have been sentenced for their roles in fraudulently obtaining unsuspecting citizens’ household goods.

“The defendants took advantage of trusting citizens who sought help with moving to a new home,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn.  “Who could conceive of movers taking all of their possessions and then simply disappearing?  Others that would consider following in their footsteps and attempt such brazen thefts can expect the same outcome; prosecution.”

“The sentencing of Tasheen Raphael Pickett and Shedrick Giles for conspiring to fraudulently obtain household goods is a strong signal to those that would defraud customers seeking to transport their household goods,” said Marlies T. Gonzalez, regional Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG).  “We will continue working with our prosecutorial, law enforcement and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration colleagues to prevent, detect and prosecute violations of Federal law and regulation designed to protect the public.”

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: since at least November 2013, Pickett and Giles have been traveling the United States, picking up shipments of innocent victims’ personal property, and promising to deliver those shipments to agreed-upon locations.  But instead of delivering the property, Pickett and Giles would take control of the property, keeping some of it for themselves and disposing of the rest.

After a criminal complaint was filed against Pickett in Amarillo, Texas, in July 2014, the DOT-OIG was notified.  In September 2014, DOT-OIG agents searched storage units at a Public Storage Facility in East Point, Georgia, and discovered that the units were stacked full with approximately 14 individuals’ personal property—property that had been taken by Pickett months before and never delivered.  Other property taken by Giles was discovered in a second Public Storage Facility in Decatur, Georgia, in January 2015.  Although both Pickett and Giles have worked as movers for several years, neither is authorized to transport household goods by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the federal agency tasked with providing oversight over household goods movers.  Pickett, the primary perpetrator of the scheme, intended to cause over $600,000 in losses to 36 people.  Giles assisted Pickett in three of the moves. 

Pickett and Giles sentences are as follows:

• Shedrick Giles, 43, of Brentwood, New York, was sentenced to one year and two days in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.Giles was ordered to pay $144,007 in restitution to the victims of the crime and complete 40 hours of community service.

• Tasheen Raphael Pickett, 41, of College Park, Georgia, was sentenced on January 6, 2016, to four years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.Pickett was ordered to pay $427,809.85 in restitution to the victims of the crime.

This case was investigated by the Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General.

Assistant United States Attorney Samir Kaushal prosecuted the case.

More than 5,800 household goods moving companies are registered with the FMCSA.  In 2014, FMCSA received more than 2,800 consumer complaints about household goods movers, down from more than 3,100 in 2013.  Among the most common complaints are shipments being held hostage, loss and damaged goods, delay of shipments, unauthorized movers, and deceptive practices such as unwarranted overcharges.  Consumers can report unsafe and unlawful moving companies by calling FMCSA’s nationwide complaint hotline at 1-888-368-7238 (1-888 DOT-SAFT) or by visiting the database at http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov.  Consumers can visit www.protectyourmove.gov to find out more about the “red flags” of moving fraud.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the home page for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division is http://www.justice.gov/usao/gan/.