Blaine Biz Owner Defrauded $600K From Job Seekers: Feds

BLAINE, MN — A Blaine business owner was convicted in an employment opportunity scheme to defraud at least 250 job seekers out of $600,000, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced.

Charles Edward Fields, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to one count of wire fraud. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Fields was the owner and operator of a series of companies through which he pitched employment opportunities to prospective workers throughout the U.S., authorities said.

Fields purported to provide employment opportunities through his businesses including HOMESoft Systems Incorporated, WaterTek Marketing Corporation, Water Innovations Group, Inc., W I G Holdings Corporation, Mile High H20 Corporation, and the NEW H20, according to investigators.

Fields told job applicants that after they paid him an upfront deposit of between $3,000 and $5,000, he would hire them as sales contractors to sell products nationwide to the public, primarily home security or water filtration systems, authorities said.

Fields routinely posted nationwide online employment advertisements that promised training, sales leads, and $6,000 in guaranteed monthly profit, according to investigators.

However, after paying the upfront deposit, many job seekers never received the product or the training that they paid for, and the jobs never materialized, authorities said.

Fields also falsely told job applicants that their deposits would be securely held in escrow and would be refunded to them upon request, according to investigators. Instead, Fields used the money for himself, authorities said.

"In order to conceal his fraud and stave off scrutiny, Fields lulled his victims with bogus excuses as to why he was unable to fulfill his promises or return their funds," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.