Maurice man pleads guilty to fraudulently obtaining more than $1.6 million from Abbeville bank

LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Maurice pleaded guilty Wednesday to submitting false receipts in order to draw more than $1.6 million from a bank line of credit.

Richard J. Viator Jr., 52, of Maurice, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of bank fraud. The plea will become final after it is accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Viator was the owner/president of the oilfield company Safety Analysis Team Inc. located in Abbeville, La. Viator had a revolving line of credit for $2 million at an Abbeville bank. In order to access the credit, he was required to submit receipts. From November 4, 2010 to February 23, 2011, Viator received 11 draws or payments from the line of credit totaling $1,673,304.85 based on false and fraudulent invoices, which purported to be accounts receivable from various companies for work performed by Safety Analysis Team.

Viator faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, restitution and a $1 million fine. The court set April 10, 2018 as the sentencing date.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and Kelly P. Uebinger are prosecuting the case.