Darien Native Convicted In Shipping Fraud Scheme Sentenced: Report

DARIEN, CT — Matthew Bergwall, the former University of Miami student from Darien who was convicted of operating a multi-million dollar shipping fraud scheme, has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison, according to a report from the Darien Times.

On July 10, a federal judge in Tampa, Fla., ordered that Bergwall must also serve three years of supervised release and pay over $1 million in restitution to Amazon, the Darien Times reported, noting Bergwall was recommended to serve his sentence at a minimum-security prison camp in Otisville, N.Y., to be close to family.

Bergwall pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, according to court filings.

Beginning around December 2021, Bergwall gained unauthorized access to compromised employee accounts of a "multinational shipping, receiving, and supply chain management company," prosecutors previously said.

Prosecutors said Bergwall and his co-conspirators then used these accounts to submit fraudulent tracking information for certain merchandise shipped by the company on behalf of victim-retailers around the country, prosecutors said.

"This allowed the co-conspirators to pursue full refunds from victim-retailers while maintaining physical possession of the merchandise, such as high-end electronics, jewelry, designer clothing, and accessories," prosecutors said.

Last summer, two Wisconsin residents were arrested in connection with the case and charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, prosecutors said.

During a five-month period, the return-fraud scheme "caused nearly 10,000 fraudulent returns and resulted in victim-retailers losing more than $8 million in merchandise," an indictment said.

Bergwall also purchased merchandise for himself over the course of the scam, prosecutors said, noting that he bought a $41,000 Rolex President Day-Date watch, a $600 TeamGee H2O Electric Skateboard, a $350 Samsung 43-inch Smart TV, and an $80 pair of Reebok shoes.

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