The largest-ever wage theft case in Fairfax County history ended with a conviction against a government contractor’s CEO, the county’s commonwealth’s attorney announced Thursday.
Thomas Burns Sr., former head of SP Global, Inc., in Chantilly, Virginia, failed to pay a total of more than $5 million in wages to more than 40 employees at the company. The 75-year-old former CEO pleaded guilty to three felonies: two counts of wage theft of more than $10,000, and one count of conspiracy to commit wage theft.
Burns was sentenced to four years in prison, with one year suspended, for each of the three charges. The three sentences will run concurrently, prosecutors said.
In October 2020, SP Global stopped paying their more than 40 employees, according to a news release from Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.
Burns, along with other executives at the company, “repeatedly promised employees that payment was forthcoming, including backpay and additional bonuses,” according to the release. Burns gave multiple, shifting reasons why employees did not get their money, ranging from international banking regulation problems, pandemic travel restrictions and a delay in funds from a new investor.
As a result, the employees worked without pay for months, then quit without ever being compensated.
“Executives should not be able to get away with taking the money that you earned putting in an honest day’s work,” Descano said. “Stealing is stealing, and financial crimes can be just as devastating for victims’ families — those who don’t get paid can miss rent or mortgage payments, putting their safety and security at risk.”
Eight of the 42 defrauded former employees will receive money from restitution agreement in the criminal case in Fairfax County. The agreement totals $1,070,429.21, the release said.
The other 34 former employees decided to move forward with a civil suit, which is pending.
According to the LinkedIn page for SP Global, Inc., the company has closed.
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