Lufkin man commits wire, steals more than $9 million

LUFKIN – A Lufkin man has pleaded guilty to various wire fraud schemes after he stole more than $9 million through fraudulent means.

Matthew Jess Thrash who had been running a multitude of fraudulent schemes and has been under investigation since 2020, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Monday, according to a press release from Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Abe McGlothin, Jr.’s Office.

An investigation revealed that Thrash had stolen approximately $9,170,124 from over 100 victims through fraudulent methods. McGlothlin’s press release indicates that Thrash “intended to devise schemes and artifices to defraud others, and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.”

In September 2010, Thrash established Thrash Sports Management (TSM) as an LLC through the Texas Secretary of State where he was listed as the manager, principal and registered agent for TSM. Thrash showed a registered address in Lufkin. In July 2013, Thrash established Thrash and Henderson Sports Management LLC and incorporated the business under someone else’s name without their approval. Thrash showed a registered address in Beaumont.

In December 2018, Thrash started a third LLC, Harvey & Thrash Sports LLC where he and another person were listed as managers but Thrash was also listed as the registered agent, providing an address in Lufkin.

Some of Thrash’s schemes included running a sports memorabilia store in Las Vegas, where he allegedly solicited and received money from individuals who believed they were investing in the store until it was revealed that he never owned a sports memorabilia store.

Although some of the businesses Thrash claimed to be part of do exist in Las Vegas, the indictment said that Thrash never owned or had any business relationship with the owners and managers of those businesses.

Thrash also reportedly provided multiple individuals with stock purchase agreements for shares in a cannabis dispensary that showed Thrash was acting on behalf of TK Investments with a business address in Lufkin. McGlothlin’s press release also reported that Thrash fraudulently received money from COVID Paycheck Protection Program loans.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled following a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Lufkin Field Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Lufkin Police Department.