Oklahoma Job Recruiter Sentenced In Fraud Scheme

 A former job recruiter was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for defrauding a Kansas City construction company. An Oklahoma recruiter had also been implicated in the scheme.

The Kansas City Star reports 46-year-old John Kirwin, of Lee's Summit, was sentenced Thursday and ordered to pay restitution of $800,400. Kirwin recruited employees for JE Dunn for construction projects.

Prosecutors say he conspired with outside job recruiters from Oklahoma and Texas, who filed fraudulent invoices with Dunn. When Dunn paid the recruiters, Kirwin received some of the money. He received illegal kickbacks of more than $400,000.

A co-conspirator, 50-year-old Brian Newkirk of Houston, was sentenced Thursday to 45 days in custody, and ordered to pay $427,000 restitution.

Another outside job recruiter from Oklahoma, Debi Jordan, was previously sentenced to 30 days in custody and ordered to repay $348,450.