Maui Jim scheme suspect in Illinois sentenced

A former employee of Maui Jim sunglasses has been sentenced for a mail fraud and wire fraud scheme against the company.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, Erica Lynn Hornof, 36, of Bradford, Illinois, was sentenced on July 10 to 12 months and one day in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release, after she pled guilty to three counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. She must also pay $125,472.48 in restitution to Maui Jim, the release said.

At the sentencing hearing, the government gave evidence showing that Hornof was a long-time employee of Maui Jim. While working as a Lead Frame Repair Trainer, she stole Maui Jim parts from the repair area to make sunglasses, packaged them with a cleaning cloth and warranty card, used her own FedEx account to create shipping labels and shipped them through the Maui Jim mailroom. She sold the sunglasses to two buyers who, in turn, sold the sunglasses on websites. According to the release, the evidence showed that Hornof received $104,860 from the two buyers over the 16-month period that she was selling the sunglasses. In a statement to Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents, Hornof said that the individuals did not know that the sunglasses were stolen.  U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid found that Hornof was responsible for selling about 2,996 pairs of sunglasses, each valued at $250, for an intended loss of $749,000 to Maui Jim.

Hornof was indicted in August 2022 and released on a personal recognizance bond with conditions of pre-trial supervision. She pled guilty to all six counts in March 2023.  Judge Shadid ordered Hornof to report to the designated prison by 2 p.m. on September 19, 2023. Hornof could have faced up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office – Peoria Resident Agency, investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.

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