ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, Va. – A judge has accepted a plea agreement in the case of a Smithfield man accused of scamming Smithfield High School students and their families.
Augustine Acheampong entered an Alford Plea to ten counts of embezzlement. The rest of his charges were nolle prossed.
An Alford Plea means Acheampong didn’t admit guilt, but agreed there was enough evidence for a potential conviction.
In early November 2015, a Grand Jury in Isle of Wight County returned indictments for embezzlement against Augustine Acheampong. He wasserved several warrants from another county for scamming more students.
Acheampong operated Grade A Travel in Lorton, Virginia and had been in contact with more than a dozen students from Smithfield High School’s Spanish program about a trip to Europe over the summer.
Two days before they were set to leave, they received a phone call from Acheampong, notifying them that the trip was canceled and that he would be giving them a refund.
The refund never came and victims reached out to authorities for help.
As a result of the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office investigation, indictments were sought against Acheampong.
Acheampong’s sentencing has been scheduled for May 31.
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