A former company insider was hit with an 18-month prison sentence for playing a key part in a fraudulent scheme to export lab research products to China, authorities said. Gregory Muñoz, a 47-year-old from Minneola, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud back in May 2024, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
Muñoz along with his co-conspirators Pen Yu and Jonathan Thyng were implicated in orchestrating the fraudulent purchase of biochemical products from MilliporeSigma by falsifying ties with a Florida university; this ruse provided them with millions of dollars in discounts and perks such as free overnight shipping, and Yu further intensified their deceit by sending Muñoz gift cards as a kickback for his help, and when the shipped goods reached the university stockroom, a complicit employee would reroute them to Yu, who would then prepare them for illegal export.
In May 2024, Pen Yu capitulated to the charges and was initially sentenced to a term of three years and seven months in prison, though this was later cut down to two years and six months, whereas Jonathan Thyng received a sentence of probation following a plea in July 2024. Their operation came to a halt when compliance officers at MilliporeSigma detected irregularities in the orders and swiftly took action, employing outside legal counsel and notifying the Justice Department's National Security Division, which prompted a prompt investigation.
Through their early disclosure and strong collaboration with the prosecution team, MilliporeSigma was key in expediting the investigation and the swift apprehension and prosecution of the trio, uncovering crucial documents that led to searches and ultimately to the guilty pleas of the individuals including Yu Muñoz and Thyng, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Marcet handling prosecution for these cases which were investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security and Homeland Security Investigations.
As part of the court's decision, Muñoz not only faces prison time but is also subject to an order of forfeiture of $100,000, which represents the proceeds of the wire fraud he was involved in.
