Bergen Business Owner Took $1.6 Million And Lied To FBI: Authorities

The owner of a Bergen County business allegedly lied to FBI agents to sell fraudulent accounts to another business and made $1.6 million from the transaction, said U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

William Kirchgessner, 45, of Bloomingdale, was charged with wire fraud and making a false statement in an FBI investigation.

Kirchgessner owned a factoring business that purchases accounts receivable from transportation companies in return for short-term financing, Fishman said. In February, Kirchgessner suspected that his company was being defrauded by a trucking company in Georgia and contacted the FBI.

FBI special agents told Kirchgessner that the company was defrauding his business and asked him to inform them if he was contacted by any other factoring business regarding the company or if the trucking company wanted to move its accounts to another business.

Kirchgessner instead tried to sell the fraudulent accounts to another factoring company, Fishman said. He allegedly called a broker for the second company, made false statement promoting the trucking company, and signed the buyout with the second company, authorities said.

The second company wired Kirchgessner $1.6 million as part of the buyout. He denied any knowledge of the second factoring company and hid his involvement in the buyout, Fishman said.

Wire fraud has a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Making a false statement carries a maximum penalty of five years. Both chargers carry a potential $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.