Woman will pay over $800K for fraud

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A Williamsburg woman will serve 82 months in prison for mail fraud and for filing a false tax return.

Antoinette Reese, 46, will also have to pay $829,687 in restitution.

Reese was employed with a local travel company, which made reservations for guest at Williamsburg Plantation. According to court documents, both companies are owned by the Berkley Group. Reese was in charge of handling an account for Ramada Plaza Resorts (RPR). RPR pays for customer accommodations at Williamsburg Plantation and gives a credited commission if the customer purchases a timeshare.

Court documents state in 2001, Reese created her own company named AW Marketing. She told RPR that AR Marketing was a vendor of Williamsburg Plantation to illegally gain an account with them. Between 2001 and 2009, Reese double billed the company, billed for canceled stays and billed for hotels outside of Williamsburg. Through the false billing scheme, Reese obtained over $800,000.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Reese also failed to include the income in her tax returns from 2002 through 2005. She also claimed non-existent business expenses on three years worth of returns.

Reese pleaded guilty on Sept. 1, 2011.