Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a judge sentenced Steve Nolte to 9 years in prison for stealing more than $571,000 from his former employer. The sentence imposed by the Court was ordered to run consecutive to Nolte’s three-year federal prison sentence for passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, and use of a falsely-obtained Social Security Number.
On May 22, 2016 a Maricopa County jury found Nolte guilty of Fraudulent Schemes & Artifices and Theft.
Nolte worked as an information technology consultant for Fulton Homes when he stole $571,649 in 1996. Fulton Homes reported the theft to local law enforcement and unsuccessful attempts were made to locate Nolte.
At the time, it was unknown Nolte had obtained a fraudulent U.S. passport under the name George France and fled to Costa Rica where he had wired the stolen money. In 2012, George France reapplied for a U.S. passport and federal authorities discovered George France was actually Steve Nolte.
Nolte’s mother testified during the jury trial that the person standing trial was her son Steve Nolte. George France’s mother testified that her son died in 1966 and that she did not know Nolte. Special Agents with the U.S. Department of State and biologists with the FBI Crime Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia assisted with this case and testified in this matter.
Assistant Attorneys General Scott Blake and Joseph Waters prosecuted this case.