Findlay man pleads guilty to federal fraud charges

FINDLAY — Barry Anderson, 68, of Findlay, has pleaded guilty in a federal court to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud after prosecutors say he helped steal more than $3.7 million from his longtime employer, a multinational company specializing in industrial explosives. According to court records, the alleged thefts span decades, beginning in 1976 and continuing through 2023. The complaint, filed in March in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, accuses Anderson of coordinating with Gregory Shuey, owner of a backhoe and dump truck business, to submit fraudulent invoices. Investigators say some invoices were for legitimate work but were inflated while others were billed for work that was never done. Companies referred to in the filing were not named. "On or about August 23, 2000, victim 1 terminated defendant after victim 1 discovered that defendant had stolen approximately $400,000 from victim 1's petty cash fund," the complaint states. Despite the discovery and theft, records show the company rehired Anderson after he briefly worked for a competition, citing a desire "to protect the integrity of victim 1's information, products and services." The complaint states Anderson didn't wait long to continue his fraudulent activities. Between 2005 and August 2023, he allegedly continued to submit fraudulent invoices. A release from the Department of Justice indicates he was connected to 373 invoices between 2016 and 2023. "In addition to Anderson's fraudulent invoice scheme, he also caused his employer to make lease payments to himself and others under false and fraudulent pretenses," the release states. Between 2014 and 2024, Anderson was linked to another 34 invoices created for these rental payments to properties owned and controlled by Anderson. A sentencing date has not yet been set.