A 45-year-old former Amazon employee from Hartford, Connecticut, Terrell Kimble, was sentenced in federal court to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release for defrauding Amazon through an employee rewards program.
While working as a Regional Fleet Specialist and Area Manager in Connecticut, Kimball had access to Amazon's Peak employee reward program, which allowed certain managers to order items at no cost to recognize workers for superior performance.
Between approximately July 2021 and December 2022, he used the Coupa procurement portal to place more than 200 fraudulent orders that falsely appeared to be legitimate rewards but instead directed the products (mainly high-end electronics such as Apple iPad Pro tablets, Apple AirPods Pro, Apple Watch devices, and Nintendo Switch consoles) to his mother's residence for his own benefit.
The total loss to Amazon was calculated at about $167,115, and the court ordered Kimble to pay that amount in restitution.
Kimble was arrested on August 15, 2024. He later pled guilty to wire fraud on June 30, 2025. He has a criminal record that includes 14 prior convictions.
Kimble is free on a $250,000 bond and must report to prison on March 20. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, assisted by local police departments. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut prosecuted the case.
Source: https://www.wfsb.com/2026/01/06/hartford-man-sentenced-prison-ordered-pay-167k-defrauding-amazon/
Commentary
In the above matter, the convicted former employee had risen to the level of manager but had 14 prior convictions before the last conviction that led to imprisonment.
Effective hiring due diligence is one of the most reliable ways to prevent internal theft and fraud, particularly when considering applicants with prior convictions.
Employers should begin by defining the specific risks associated with each position, such as access to money, inventory, payment systems or confidential data, and then tailoring background checks and reference inquiries to those risks rather than using a blanket exclusion for any conviction.
Criminal history information, when lawfully obtained, should be evaluated in light of the nature and gravity of the offense, the time elapsed since the conduct, and the relationship of the offense to the duties of the job, especially for roles with authority to approve purchases, issue credits or control high-value assets.
Compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and EEO laws is essential when using third-party background checks, including obtaining written consent, providing required disclosures, and giving applicants an opportunity to explain records that might otherwise disqualify them.
Well-documented hiring policies should require consistent screening criteria, structured interviews that probe integrity and past job performance, verification of employment and education, and, when appropriate, an individualized assessment of candidates with convictions that considers rehabilitation, work history and supporting documentation.
For positions involving direct access to cash, inventory, financial systems, or vulnerable populations, employers should consider heightened screening, closer reference checks and, where legally permitted, ongoing monitoring, while still applying job-related standards that give qualified candidates with older or unrelated convictions a fair chance at employment.
Additional Sources: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-consideration-arrest-and-conviction-records-employment-decisions; https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/background-checks-what-employers-need-know; https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/small-business/criminal-records
