Texas man sentenced for money laundering at Richmond-based company

A Texas man was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison after he laundered money from a business he co-owned based in Richmond, according to federal authorities.

Neil Divers, 66, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on July 17, according to a news release from United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. He lives in Godley, Texas, but previously resided in Chico.

Divers will also have to pay restitution, with the amount set to be determined at a hearing Jan. 7. Following his prison sentence, which will begin Jan. 10, Divers will serve three years of supervised release, authorities said.

In 2015, Divers owned and operated a machined component manufacturing company called Kodiak Precision, Inc., which was based in Richmond, authorities said. In 2016, the other owners of the company implemented procedures to keep Divers from taking company money without permission from at least one other owner due to previous events.

From about July 2016 to May 2018, Divers circumvented these precautions by opening bank accounts in the name of Kodiak but as the only account signatory, authorities said. The other owners did not know about or consent to these accounts. Divers then had another employee instruct some customers to deposit funds into these accounts.

Divers then used some of this money to fund his lifestyle, such as using $38,217.84 to pay for landscaping services for his house in August 2019.

The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar.