Mastermind Of Textbook Theft Scheme Sentenced To Prison In LA
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A 44-year-old book buyer was sentenced to prison Tuesday for orchestrating a massive scheme that stole thousands of textbooks from four school districts.
Corey Frederick, of Los Angeles, pleaded no contest to four felony counts of embezzlement and one felony count of bribing a public officer, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Officials explained Frederick was a book buyer and seller who operated Doorkeeper Textz in Long Beach.
According to the district attorney's office, he paid out more than $200,000 in bribes to 12 school employees in the Los Angeles, Inglewood, Lynwood and Bellflower school districts over the course of a two year period, which began in May 2008.
School employees were paid between $600 up to $47,000 each to steal textbooks in literature and language arts, economics, physics, anatomy and physiology, authorities explained.
Authorities said Frederick then resold the stolen textbooks online through his company.
In August 2013, a 37 count Grand Jury indictment charged Frederick and 12 others with multiple counts of embezzlement and bribery.
Frederick was ordered to spend five years and eight months in state prison in addition to paying $793,306 in restitution to the Los Angeles Unified School District.