A Georgia man is accused of defrauding two business owners out of thousands of dollars while owning an alleged Christian bookstore.
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According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, Michael Uziewe, 63, of Grayson, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud on Thursday.
Officials say Uziewe allegedly owned a business under the name God’s Word Christian Book Store.
The first victim, owner of a classic car dealership in Irvine, Calif., contacted a suspected seller for two transmissions.
The victim allegedly sent more than $13,000 to the God’s Word Christian Book Store business account that Uziewe managed at Ameris Bank.
Authorities said the victim never received the transmissions.
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California officials say a month later that a second victim, a nail salon owner in Jersey City, New Jersey, sent more than $100,000 to Uziewe’s Ameris Bank account.
According to the statement, she sent the money to assist in the return to the United States of a person who claimed to be a surgeon working for the United Nations in Yemen and needed the funds to pay the costs associated with the trip to the United States. .
Authorities said that when Uziewe attempted to withdraw the money from the bookstore’s account, he falsely claimed it was profit from book sales.
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He is expected to be sentenced on September 14. Uziewe faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
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