Bel Air Man Indicted in $50M Light Bulb Scheme

A Bel Air man was arrested this week in connection with a $50 million telemarketing scheme involving light bulbs.

Andrew Stafford, 56, of Bel Air, was the president of Midway Industries, which allegedly scammed businesses and nonprofits through the sale of lightbulbs, sometimes inflating the price by 900 percent.

Stafford faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the mail fraud conspiracy and for each count of mail fraud; the indictment lists seven counts.

Court documents state that Stafford and Midway Industries CEO Brian Keith Wallen allegedly set up various shell companies in Maryland and North Carolina that employed 100 people who were instructed to call businesses and nonprofits (including schools, churches and homeless shelters), act as though there was a preexisting business relationship and obtain information from an employee required to place an order.

Then they shipped the order of light bulbs with exorbitant invoices — in one case, Stafford billed an Atlanta business $3,750.05 for a shipment when the cost was $156.70 — according to court documents.

When recipients tried to contest the invoices, they were routed to an answering service and the collections department.

Six co-conspirators who worked for Stafford and Wallen pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney: Robert Chesser, 46, of Dundalk; Brandon Johnston, 38, of Catonsville; Alan Landsman, 36, of York, PA; Steven Phillips, 64, of Pikesville; Brandon Riggs, 34, of Baltimore; and Thomas Wishon, 54, of Cockeysville. All await sentencing.

The indictment charging Stafford was unsealed this week upon his arrest.

A criminal complaint charging Wallen with mail fraud was filed on May 4 and unsealed on May 10, according to the U.S. Attorney. Wallen has apparently disappeared. Police said that Wallen left a "goodbye" letter for his lawyer, who notified authorities on Thursday, April 28, and the man has not been able to be located.

The FBI is operating under the assumption that "he's alive and well, and just evading law enforcement," Special Agent in Charge Scott Hinckley told The Baltimore Sun, which reported that billboards with Wallen's face have now been posted along I-95 from Baltimore to Miami; officials said they believe Wallen has contacts in Florida.

The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information about him; anyone with information concerning Wallen's whereabouts may contact the Baltimore office of the FBI at 410-265-8080.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of this fraud scheme is asked to complete and submit the Midway Victims Form.

Related:

• Missing Man Wanted in $50M Fraud Scheme
• Man Missing Since April 28 Left Suicide Note: Police
• Police Activity Closes Dulaney Valley Road Near Reservoir

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