HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for his participation in a scheme to defraud Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPSG), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Joseph A. Isaac admitted to participating in the scheme with Anna Maria Sites, 42, of Friendswood, from 2010 through Feb. 17, 2015, by not paying rebates to those who had requested them.

Isaac was the majority shareholder of FulFill Plus Inc., which administered the DPSG rebate campaigns. The rebates included returned bottle caps or for switching to DPSG brand drinks in restaurant/convenience store soda dispensers. DPSG paid FulFill to administer those campaigns.

Isaac admitted the fraud caused a loss to DPSG of $1,058,445.

U.S. District Judge Gray Miller will impose sentencing Dec. 4, 2019. At that time. Isaac faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.                     

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – The 42-year-old Friendswood woman charged with committing fraud against a popular beverage company has admitted her guilt, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Anna Maria Sites pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson to conspiracy to commit mail fraud against Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPSG).

Sites admitted to participating in the scheme from 2010 through Feb. 17, 2015, by not paying rebates to those who had requested them. Sites handled human resources and accounting for FulFill Plus Inc., which administered the DPSG rebate campaigns. The rebates included returned bottle caps or for switching to DPSG brand drinks in restaurant/convenience store soda dispensers. DPSG paid FulFill to administer those campaigns.

Specifically, in 2014 and 2015, FulFill administered a DPSG program known as 2014 Fast Start, which paid a $75 rebate for switching to a DPSG drink in soda dispensers. DPSG paid $125,000 for FulFill to manage this campaign. Sites was responsible for rebates not being issued. Only after receiving multiple complaints would she arrange for the monies to be dispersed.

Sites sent rebate fund reports for the 2014 Fast Start rebate program to DPSG, which falsely represented that rebates were being paid when, in truth, they were not.

DPSG suffered a financial loss as a result of the scheme Sites committed. The court will determine that official amount at the time of sentencing.  

U.S. District Judge Gray Miller will impose sentencing Dec. 4, 2019. At that time. Sites faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.  

She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.                      

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – Two people have been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud for their participation in a scheme to defraud Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPSG), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Authorities took Joseph A. Isaac, 52, of Houston, into custody today, He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson at 2:00 p.m. Co-defendant Anna Maria Sites, 41, of Friendswood, is expected to make her initial appearance in the near future.

The indictment, returned under seal Oct. 17 and unsealed today, alleges Isaac and Sites defrauded DPSG from 2010 through Feb. 17, 2015. The pair worked at FulFill Plus Inc., a company which  administered rebate campaigns for DPSG, according to the charges.

DPSG paid money to Fulfill Plus to fund rebates for those who had requested them. However, the rebates were not paid, according to the indictment. Isaac and Sites allegedly used the money not paid out in rebates for their own personal expenses and non-rebate related expenses of FulFill Plus. 

​Conspiracy to commit mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, upon conviction. Each also faces up to 20 years for each count of mail fraud. Both charges also carry a potential $250,000 maximum fine.

​The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.