A federal grand jury in Louisville has indicted four men from Jefferson County, Kentucky. The indictment, returned on February 19, 2025, charges the individuals with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Cincinnati Field Office, and Chief Richard Sanders of the Jeffersontown Police Department.
According to the indictment details, Anthony Phillips, Aubrey Walker Sr., William Walker, and Robert Lewis allegedly conspired between May 1 and November 14, 2023. They are accused of defrauding a company by falsely claiming to represent its small business clients to make unauthorized purchases charged to client accounts. The defendants are also facing multiple counts related to executing this wire fraud scheme. It is alleged that they transmitted wires across state lines from Kentucky as part of their activities. Additionally, Anthony Phillips faces charges for using another person's identification unlawfully during the scheme.
The defendants appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky earlier this week. If convicted, Anthony Phillips could face a sentence ranging from two to twenty-six years in prison. Aubrey Walker Sr., William Walker, and Robert Lewis each face up to twenty years if found guilty. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on guidelines and statutory factors.
Federal sentences do not allow for parole.
The case is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Jeffersontown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin McKenzie is prosecuting.
It is important to note that an indictment is only an allegation at this stage; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.