Florida Man Sentenced to 8 Years Imprisonment for Embezzlement and Fraud

Savannah, GA: A former employee of a manufacturing company with a plant in Savannah, GA, was sentenced to 96 months of confinement for embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

John Laakso, also known as John Trebesch, age 57, of Savannah, GA, was charged in November 2024 with one count of Wire Fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. On December 2, 2025, following a guilty plea, Laakso was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment by the Honorable R. Stan Baker, Chief Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.

"Our business partners in this District are the bedrock of our community," said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap. "The U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Georgia will continue to ensure that those who abuse trust for personal gain will face justice, and that our community will be protected."

According to court documents and in court testimony, Laakso was a former Engineering Manager for the local company. Using that position, he defrauded his employer of nearly $500,000. He did so by secretly awarding lucrative contracts to his own pass-through companies, both for services that Laakso never provided, and for goods and services that Laakso secretly billed to his employer at a fraudulent rate.

"John Laakso betrayed his employer and fellow employees in this secretive and organized effort," said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. "Anyone who steals funds and unlawfully profits at the expense of others will be held accountable."

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and Bradford C. Patrick.

For any questions, please contact the U.S. Attorney's Office at (912) 652-4422.