SAVANNAH, GEORGIA — A logistics company employee and a trucking company owner received federal prison sentences on April 3, 2026, after running a three-year scheme that billed a national transportation company for freight jobs that never happened.
Philip Charles Smith, 41, of Richmond Hill, received 27 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Antonio J. Evans Sr., 41, of Sylvania, received 13 months followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered both men to share equal responsibility for $821,899 in restitution. Both pleaded guilty to wire fraud. There is no parole in the federal system.
How the Scheme Worked
Smith worked for a national logistics and transportation company serving the Port of Savannah. One of his responsibilities was awarding contracts to third-party carriers to move freight from the port to other destinations. Evans owned a local trucking company that served as a licensed carrier for Smith’s employer.
From approximately July 2021 to August 2024, Smith used his employee access to create fake freight-hauling jobs and assigned them to Evans. The company paid Evans for work that never took place. Evans then kicked back a portion of the payments to Smith. The scheme ran for three years and cost the company $821,899.
What Officials Said
“Philip Smith betrayed the trust of his employer in order to funnel fake work to Antonio Evans so the two of them could line their pockets, and they’re now being held accountable for their dishonesty,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Heap.
“Schemes like this exploit positions of trust and undermine the integrity of critical supply chain operations supporting the Port of Savannah,” said Brad Snider, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Savannah office. “The FBI is committed to holding accountable those who use fraud and deception for personal gain.”
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and L. Alexander Hamner prosecuted it for the Southern District of Georgia.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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