Source: US FBI
DES MOINES, Iowa – An Earling, Iowa, man was sentenced on August 15, 2025, to four months in federal prison for wire fraud.
According to public court documents, from September 2021 to October 2022, Mitch William Gross, 34, defrauded his employer, Ruan Transportation Corporation, by using business-related credit cards for personal purchases, including prepaid gift cards, Pokemon cards, and gaming items. Gross submitted falsified receipts and mischaracterized fraudulent charges on his expense reports so that the purchases appeared as legitimate business expenses. His fraudulent purchases totaled over $140,000.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Gross will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gross was also ordered to pay $146,590.15 in restitution.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Des Moines Police Department.