ATLANTA - Micky Lee Wagner, also known by several aliases including “Clifton Leigh Wagner Martin” and “Dr. Leigh,” has been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud factoring companies of over $5 million using stolen identities.
“Wagner has an extensive history of devising schemes to take advantage of unsuspecting businesses and individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Thanks to the diligence of our federal law enforcement partners at FBI, a measure of justice has been achieved that will also prevent Wagner from victimizing others.”
“Wagner took great measures to create the fraudulent billing scheme to use these companies like his personal ATM,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Keri Farley. “His actions not only harmed businesses but also the victims of his identity theft. Wagner will now have several years behind bars to consider the impact of his actions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, Wagner was the owner and CEO of Right Step Staffing, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia, a company purportedly providing temporary employees to other businesses. Using stolen identities, he falsely claimed that his staffing company provided workers to major businesses such as Kroger Distribution, Material in Motion, Duracell, and Clorox—entities with which Right Step Staffing had no actual relationship.
Based on these misrepresentations, a factoring company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida entered into a contract with Right Step Staffing to purchase its accounts receivable. Factoring companies advance funds through such arrangements so staffing companies can meet payroll obligations timely.
To further the fraud, Wagner deceived the factoring company by providing fraudulent customer contracts and email addresses that appeared similar to those of real business representatives but were deceptively created by him.
Right Step Staffing sent fraudulent invoices totaling over $6 million during several months, resulting in actual payments exceeding $5 million to Wagner. He used these proceeds for purchasing real estate, luxury vehicles, plastic surgery, and other personal expenses.
After his indictment in July 2022, Wagner fled to Kansas City, Missouri evading arrest for nearly a year until FBI agents apprehended him in July 2023. During this period post-indictment, he defrauded another factoring company based in Minnesota out of more than $750,000 and attempted unsuccessfully to defraud additional companies.
Micky Lee Wagner has multiple prior felony convictions including a federal fraud conviction from 2001 for which he fled Kansas City while on supervised release.
Wagner was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee to seven years and ten months in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered restitution amounting to $3,092,512.88 after pleading guilty on April 24th 2024.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Sekret T. Sneed prosecuting.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016 or visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.