FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — A Georgia man has been sentenced to three years in prison for stealing over $1 million from his employer, Mars Wrigley, in Flowery Branch.
Michael Mayfield, 55, worked as an environmental manager at the Mars Wrigley Plant. Prosecutors say he stole rebate checks meant for the company after recycling waste was disposed of.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Mayfield fraudulently obtained more than $500,000 in checks. He spent the money on personal luxuries, including $100,000 for hunting trips, an $80,000 donation to his church, and over $200,000 in personal checks.
Officials also revealed that Mayfield worked with a co-conspirator who created fake invoices under the name ASA Safety Supply. Mayfield allegedly used these invoices to request payments from Mars Wrigley, diverting the funds to himself. He also submitted fake invoices from WWJ Recycle, totaling more than $750,000.
This scheme lasted from December 2016 to 2022, resulting in Mars Wrigley losing over $1.2 million.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mayfield must serve three years of supervised release and pay $1.27 million in restitution.