Owner of Commercial Supply Companies Admits Conspiring to Defraud Approximately 40 Companies of More Than $1 Million

CAMDEN, N.J. – The owner of KLA International Inc., Quad Trade Services Inc., and TCI Technologies Inc., today admitted his role in a conspiracy to defraud approximately 40 businesses out of more than $1 million, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Keith B. Fisher Sr. 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From February 2010 through August 2015, Fisher and his conspirators, through the use of three purported commercial supply companies, bid on federal contracts through FedBid.com, an online marketplace that provided reverse auction services and enabled government agencies to post requirements for goods or services with the intention of attracting quotes and offers from vendors. Upon submitting a winning bid, Fisher’s companies were awarded contracts to provide goods to the respective government agency.

Fisher and his conspirators orchestrated the fraud by subcontracting with third-party vendors throughout the United States to provide these goods to the respective government agencies. isher and his conspirators induced the third-party vendors to ship the goods to the government agencies on credit by falsely promising to pay the vendors for the goods and making false and fraudulent representations to the vendors about the credit-worthiness, business history, and financial status of Fisher’s companies. Fisher and his conspirators provided the vendors with fraudulent credit applications, false trade references, and fraudulent information about the financial status of his companies. Upon receipt of the goods and materials supplied by the third-party vendors, the government agencies paid Fisher and his conspirators. Fisher, in turn, failed to pay or only made nominal payments to the 40 victim vendors, who were owed more than $1 million for the goods and materials supplied to the government.

The charge to which Fisher pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss associated with the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for June 19, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael V. Graziano, special agents with the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service - Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leo S. Lamont, special agents with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command - Mid-Atlantic Fraud Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, special agents with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General – Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves, special agents from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General - Fraud Detection Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Lewe Sessions, and Postal Inspectors with the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge David Bosch, for conducting the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Skahill and Diana Vondra Carrig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.