An Iowa farmer has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for stealing more than $1.5 million in agriculture subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic.Tanner Seuntjens admitted to stealing several people’s identities to file additional false claims. Seuntjens pleaded guilty to four charges in September. He is required to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and pay $1.7 million in restitution to the United States Department of Agriculture.
An Iowa farmer has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for stealing more than $1.5 million in agriculture subsidies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tanner Seuntjens admitted to stealing several people’s identities to file additional false claims.
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Seuntjens pleaded guilty to four charges in September.
He is required to serve five years of supervised release following…
CLICK HERE to read the FULL Iowa farmer sentenced to 13 years for USDA fraud – KCCI article.
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.