SEATTLE – Darren Berg, a former motorcoach industry star who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for defrauding investor, escaped from a federal prison in California last month.
The Seattle Times reported that Berg “walked away” from the USP Atwater facility, which is a minimum security work camp.
Berg, 55, was sentenced in 2012 in U.S. District Court in Seattle. He was found guilty on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and bankruptcy fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Berg, who defrauded hundreds of investors of millions of dollars through investment funds he operated for nearly a decade, also was forced to pay more than $100 million in restitution.
Upwards of $45 million to $48 million of the $350 million investors gave Berg over the years was pumped into his motorcoach company, MTR Western, which between 2003 and 2009 grew from four coaches to be the industry’s 12th largest operation, with a fleet of nearly 170 coaches.
Along the way Berg became the initial winner of the industry’s Green Highway Award in 2008 and the BusRide Motorcoach Industry Achievement Award in 2007. He also was elected to the board of the American Bus Association.
Additionally, Berg funneled millions to himself to maintain an extraordinarily lavish lifestyle that included luxury yachts, private jets, expensive cars, multiple homes and remodeling his $12 million waterfront Mercer Island mansion into a showpiece.
As of mid-December, Berg had not been captured.
