NEW JERSEY – Ahmet Neidik, 65, of Fort Lee, New Jersey, was sentenced on March 7, 2024, to 18 months in prison for his involvement in a nationwide off-the-road tire fraud scheme that caused tens of millions of dollars in losses. Neidik had pleaded guilty in January 2024 to conspiring to commit wire fraud.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Neidik co-owned transportation and logistics businesses that played a central role in the fraudulent operation. He funneled proceeds to his accounts and wired funds to co-conspirators, facilitating the fraudulent transactions and helping provide financial cover for the scheme.
The fraud, which involved deceptive tire sales, was orchestrated by John K. Eckerd, Jr., 61, of Dallas, and co-defendant Jason E. Adkins, 47, of Jackson, Ohio. Eckerd admitted to at least $14 million in fraud related to the scheme, which promised investors high returns from the sale of discounted mining and earth-moving equipment tires. However, the defendants rarely purchased the tires and used the same inventory to deceive multiple investors.
Instead of legitimate sales, the conspirators fabricated financial records and sales agreements to sustain the scheme, ultimately resulting in a $50 million Ponzi operation.
As part of his sentencing, Neidik was ordered to pay $370,000 in restitution, fined $250,000, and will face three years of supervised release following his prison term.
