The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced on Friday that Brian H. Sperber, 48, of Plantation, Florida, has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison. Additionally, Sperber was ordered to pay $14,231,605.36 in restitution.
Edmond S. Norkus, 61, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, was sentenced to three years in prison and will pay $13,821,605.36 in restitution, officials confirmed.
Both men were convicted on May 28, 2024, after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges. They defrauded buyers of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to a scheme that stole more than $14 million.
Details of the Scheme
Before the pandemic, Sperber became an authorized distributor for a Georgia-based PPE manufacturer. Norkus, a longtime business associate, operated a warehouse in Florida.
As the demand for PPE surged, Sperber and Norkus misled buyers by promising large quantities of PPE, even though they had limited supplies and Sperber’s sales territory was restricted.
To appear legitimate, the duo diverted products intended for other customers and used altered documents to deceive buyers into believing their orders were being processed. However, no products were delivered, and the men pocketed the funds.
Sperber used the proceeds from the scam to purchase a multimillion-dollar waterfront mansion in Boca Raton, Florida.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie Jr. commented, “Sperber and Norkus cashed in on the unprecedented scarcity and skyrocketing price of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic to get rich quickly, but now they face prison sentences for their illegal actions.”
