Hunter
11/04/22
A Hills man has been arrested after it was alleged that he defrauded his employer of over $200,000.
According to the arrest report, 37-year-old Travis Hotz worked for Balfour Beatty Communities, who manages Aspire at West Campus housing primarily for University of Iowa graduate students and faculty. From January 2020 to March of this year, he allegedly fraudulently obtained nearly $219,000 in finances and property from his employer using a variety of methods and schemes.
Hotz is accused of forging legitimate invoices with a document editing program and altering the invoices to his billing and accounting division to hide his reported thefts.
Hotz also allegedly used his official capacity to manipulate a gift card referral program over the period, depositing over $99,000 into various bank accounts. He allegedly created dozens of fraudulent email accounts using real identities from records he obtained from his place of employment as part of the scheme. He made nearly 70 financial transactions to conceal or hide the nature, location, source, ownership or control of the cards. The transactions turned the gift cards into currency that he deposited into his personal bank accounts. He’s also accused of charging over $2800 in unauthorized purchases using his assigned business credit card.
After search warrants were executed in April, prosecutors completed their investigation and filed a warrant for Hotz’ arrest October 25th. He was booked at the Johnson County Jail early Friday morning and faces charges of 1st degree Fraudulent Practice, 1st degree Theft, Money Laundering, and Identity Theft. If convicted on all counts, Hotz could be sentenced to up to 32 years in prison.