Bend, Oregon [Date] — Matthew Mulder, 52, former owner of We Can Brewing Systems, LLC, a microbrewery equipment company based in Bend, Oregon, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for defrauding nearly two dozen customers of more than $880,000, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today.
Mulder, who co-founded We Can Brewing Systems in 2014, used his company to solicit orders for custom-built microbrewery systems, keg washers, and other brewing equipment from customers across the United States. However, from January 2017 to June 2018, Mulder knowingly accepted payments for equipment that his company could not produce, according to federal prosecutors.
When customers followed up on their orders, Mulder falsely assured them that their equipment was either on schedule or nearing completion. He also used deceptive tactics, such as showing customers photos of nearly completed orders that were actually meant for other clients. To further inflate payments, Mulder issued fake invoices for shipping costs, which customers paid but received no goods in return.
Mulder’s fraudulent actions were sustained by using funds from new customer contracts, which required large upfront deposits, to cover personal expenses, pay off loans, and settle supplier costs. In total, Mulder defrauded 23 customers of a combined $887,116, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On February 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon returned a seven-count indictment against Mulder, charging him with wire and mail fraud. He pleaded guilty to all charges on April 3, 2024, as part of a settlement.
In addition to his 21-month sentence, Mulder has been ordered to pay full restitution to the victims of his fraud scheme. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute individuals engaged in fraudulent schemes targeting customers and businesses.
