An Atlanta woman has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for a fraud scheme that stole nearly $10 million from Amazon, federal prosecutors said.
Brittany Hudson, 40, was convicted of 30 felony charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, and forgery of the signature of a federal judge.
Hudson, along with her partner Kayricka Wortham, 35, ran a fraud scheme against Amazon over the course of six months and made luxury purchases before later falsifying court documents to try and open a hookah lounge in Midtown, according to the Northern District of Georgia’s US Attorney’s Office.
The Scheme
Starting in January 2022, while Wortham was working as an operations manager at the Amazon warehouse in Smyrna, she and her romantic partner began to submit fictitious invoices for fake vendors, “falsely claiming that the vendors had provided goods and services to Amazon,” federal prosecutors said.
Hudson already owned a business that contracted with Amazon to deliver packages. Wortham approved the invoices in her role at Amazon, causing Amazon to transfer money into bank accounts controlled by Hudson, Wortham, and others.
Over the course of six months, the duo submitted more than 1,000 fake invoices, accounting for more than $9.4 million entering their bank accounts.
How They Spent the Money
With the money, they bought multiple luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini Urus and a Porsche Panamera, as well as a $1 million home in Smyrna.
The Forged Documents
The duo were first charged with fraud in December 2022. While out on bond in January 2023, they tried to defraud another company.
Hudson and Wortham created counterfeit court documents with forged signatures from a Chief US District Judge and a Cobb County Magistrate Judge, alleging the charges they faced from the Amazon fraud had been dropped. They emailed the documents to a franchising company in an attempt to open a hookah lounge in Midtown, Atlanta.
Hudson also falsified financial statements with fake bank account values to try and get the franchise deal.
The Sentences
Hudson was sentenced to 16 years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Wortham had previously been sentenced to 17 years in prison with the same release process.
The couple was ordered to pay restitution of $9,469,731.45 to Amazon, forfeit their Smyrna home and vehicles, and an additional $3 million.
The Bottom Line
An Atlanta couple has been sentenced for defrauding Amazon of nearly $10 million through a scheme involving more than 1,000 fake invoices. Brittany Hudson received 16 years, and Kayricka Wortham received 17 years in federal prison. The couple used the money to buy luxury cars and a $1 million home. While out on bond, they also forged federal judges’ signatures in an attempt to defraud a franchising company.
