Brian H. Sperber and Edmond S. Norkus have received prison sentences for conspiring to commit wire fraud in a scheme in which the men tricked expectant purchasers of personal protective equipment out of more than $14 million. Brian H. Sperber, 48, of Plantation, Florida, was sentenced to two years, two months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,231,605.36. Edmond S. Norkus, 61, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Norkus was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,821,605.36.
According to Acting US Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Brian H. Sperber became an authorized distributor for a Georgia-based personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer. Edmond S. Norkus operated warehouse space in Florida and was Sperber’s longstanding business associate. As the pandemic worsened, demand for, and market value of, PPE steeply increased. Even though Sperber was only authorized to sell to customers in a specific geographic sales territory and manufacturers had only extremely limited supplies available, Sperber and Norkus promised to sell large quantities of PPE to a wide range of would-be buyers.
But to make it appear that they could deliver on their promise, Sperber and Norkus diverted and showcased products already earmarked for other customers. They also provided customers with a variety of altered and counterfeit documents, designed to deceive customers into believing the products they had ordered were on the way. Ultimately, there were no products to supply and Sperber and Norkus pocketed the money while providing the victims with nothing. Sperber used proceeds from the scheme to purchase a multimillion-dollar waterfront mansion in Boca Raton, Florida. In a related civil forfeiture action, the United States and Sperber agreed to sell the property, netting approximately $4 million, and resolve the forfeiture in the criminal prosecution. As part of Sperber’s sentence, the district court forfeited Sperber’s interest in the funds. The United States, in Sperber’s plea agreement, agreed to recommend that the funds seized from the sale of the property be restored to the victims named in the restitution order.
