Source: US FBI
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron today sentenced Frank Richard Nickens (58, Arizona) to three years in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Nickens to forfeit $69,155 traceable to proceeds of the offense and to pay restitution to the victims. Nickens pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025.
According to court documents, in April 2020, at the beginning of the COVID pandemic, Nickens falsely claimed that he was a commercial producer of hand sanitizer. After promising to produce tens of thousands of units of hand sanitizer, three companies sent Nickens money to acquire his product. In truth, Nickens had no ability to produce hand sanitizer and was using the opportunity of high demand to require up-front deposits of 50% for the product that he never intended to provide. Nickens was a resident of Ormond Beach, Florida when he committed the crime.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.