T.I. at the Lenox Mall Louis Vuitton Store (2007)

** Disclaimer: Tip has nothing to do with any of this I just miss him and wanted to use his photo. **

Two former employees of the Louis Vuitton store at Lenox Mall and Gucci at Phipps Plaza were sentenced Wednesday in a high-end credit card scheme.  Carlton J. Maxey, 40, the Louis Vuitton sales associate and Lee S. Brockwell, 32, the Gucci employee have each been charged and sentenced in the “Gucci/Louie” credit card scheme.

The two assisted James O. Omotosho, 39, and Aghedo P. Iyamu, 43, both of Atlanta, in obtaining several thousand dollars in merchandise from the boutiques.  Brockwell knew both men and waited on them at Gucci, while Maxey aided Iyamu in obtaining items at Louis Vuitton, which included a $20,000 watch. The two employees are understandably well known in the Atlanta entertainment and fashion scene and anyone who’s visited either Atlanta location over the past few years has probably been assisted by them. I’m sure there will be quite a few people distraught over their arrests.

Former Gucci employee Lee Brockwell (center) with Kwassi (Moda404) and Titi Boi (Playas Circle)

Photo by ATLpics

Details of how the Atlanta area crew made off with over a milli worth of Gucci and Louie Vuitton merchandise was outlined in the Atlanta Business Chronicle:

Brockwell was a sales associate at the Gucci store in Phipps Plaza where she was personally acquainted with both Omotosho and Iyamu, and knew their true identities. Brockwell waited on Omotosho and Iyamu on numerous occasions when they purchased thousands of dollars worth of merchandise using credit cards in names other than their own.

Maxey was a sales associate at the Louis Vuitton store in Lenox Mall. Maxey was personally acquainted with Iyamu and knew his true identity. Maxey waited on Iyamu on numerous occasions when he purchased thousands of dollars worth of merchandise using credit cards in names other than his own. On one occasion, Maxey sold Iyamu a $20,000 watch that Iyamu purchased with a stolen American Express credit card that was issued to a third party.

Omotosho, Iyamu, and Maxey also committed bank fraud. Omotosho, using an alias, opened bank accounts in fictitious business names. Iyamu obtained the bank account number, ATM card and PIN of an account opened by Maxey. Omotosho and Iyamu obtained counterfeit checks purportedly drawn on lines of credit accounts of customers with Bremer Bank in Minnesota. They deposited those checks into the accounts they were using to commit fraud. They also made deposits into these accounts of stolen “convenience” checks issued by credit card companies to legitimate customers. They also deposited “convenience” checks which were issued on the fraudulent credit card accounts. Omotosho, Iyamu and others would then withdraw the funds from the accounts before the fraudulent nature of the deposit items was discovered by the victim financial institutions.

In summary, Omotosho attempted to commit more than $900,000 in fraud through various bank fraud and credit card fraud schemes and has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $288,318 in restitution

Iyamu and Maxey attempted to commit more than $300,000 in fraud through various bank fraud and credit card fraud schemes. Maxey was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $199,293 in restitution while Iyamu was sentenced to five years, 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $173,549 in restitution.

Brockwell committed more than $100,000 in credit card fraud and got the lightest sentence of all involved. Receiving four months in a halfway house to be followed by four months of house arrest, and ordered to pay $116,589 in restitution.

Wondering where they were sellin all the hot Gucci & Louie bags. (Side-eyeing Soulja Boy right now…)

Video ~ Gucci Louie ~ Soulja Boy & SOD Money Gang