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"BALTIMORE, MD—George Michael Perez, age 33, of Dundalk, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and arson in connection with a scheme to defraud the law firm where he was employed, and to failure to appear at a federal hearing, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
"This investigation exemplifies how ATF and our partners won't leave any stone left unturned," says ATF Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop. "We will work on a case until the person found responsible is held accountable for all of their actions."
According to his guilty plea, in January 2004 a law firm located in Dundalk hired Perez to work in its accounting department. The law firm concentrated its practice in real estate law, and would receive and disburse substantial sums of money while handling the sales of foreclosed properties. Perez was responsible for keeping track of the flow of money in the firm’s escrow account. Over time, the firm became dissatisfied with Perez’s work performance and terminated his employment on April 16, 2007.
On April 23, 2007 the Baltimore County Fire Department responded to a fire in the building occupied by the law firm. The fire was concentrated on the fourth floor which housed the firm’s offices, and a room in the basement which the firm leased for document storage. Further investigation revealed that the fire was intentionally set by someone igniting piles of paper. The fire alarm system had been disabled, which could be done by entering a code on a pad located near the firm’s entrance. Law firm employees, including Perez, knew the code numbers. The door to the room in the basement was locked, requiring forced entry to suppress the flames. The key to the door, which was kept on a hook by a secretary’s desk on the fourth floor, could not be found at the time of the fire. The key was subsequently seized from Perez’s home."
More at source: Federal Bureau of Investigation - The Baltimore Division: Department of Justice Press Release
"This investigation exemplifies how ATF and our partners won't leave any stone left unturned," says ATF Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop. "We will work on a case until the person found responsible is held accountable for all of their actions."
According to his guilty plea, in January 2004 a law firm located in Dundalk hired Perez to work in its accounting department. The law firm concentrated its practice in real estate law, and would receive and disburse substantial sums of money while handling the sales of foreclosed properties. Perez was responsible for keeping track of the flow of money in the firm’s escrow account. Over time, the firm became dissatisfied with Perez’s work performance and terminated his employment on April 16, 2007.
On April 23, 2007 the Baltimore County Fire Department responded to a fire in the building occupied by the law firm. The fire was concentrated on the fourth floor which housed the firm’s offices, and a room in the basement which the firm leased for document storage. Further investigation revealed that the fire was intentionally set by someone igniting piles of paper. The fire alarm system had been disabled, which could be done by entering a code on a pad located near the firm’s entrance. Law firm employees, including Perez, knew the code numbers. The door to the room in the basement was locked, requiring forced entry to suppress the flames. The key to the door, which was kept on a hook by a secretary’s desk on the fourth floor, could not be found at the time of the fire. The key was subsequently seized from Perez’s home."
More at source: Federal Bureau of Investigation - The Baltimore Division: Department of Justice Press Release
