Lawrence J. Gerrans was convicted by a federal jury of wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the medical device company he ran. The verdict issued following a two-week trial.

“The defendant siphoned millions of dollars from the medical device company he was entrusted to run, and then tried to cover up that crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Anderson.

Evidence at trial showed that Gerrans, the president and chief executive officer of San Rafael-based medical device company Sanovas, employed a number of fraudulent methods to siphon funds out of Sanovas.

From January 12, 2015, through March 16, 2015, Gerrans systematically transferred more than $2.6 million from Sanovas to himself and two shell companies he controlled, Halo Management Group and Hartford Legend Capital Enterprises. That money was then used for an all-cash purchase of a luxury home in San Anselmo, at a purchase price of $2,570,000. At least $2.3 million of this money was laundered through Hartford Legend before being paid to the escrow account to purchase the house.

Evidence at trial also showed that Gerrans made false statements to a newly-created board of directors to seek their approval for a lucrative compensation plan and for reimbursement of retirement account funds that Gerrans had liquidated in 2013 and 2014. Evidence at trial showed that Gerrans had used the retirement account funds for personal expenditures, including a Maserati, a diamond ring, and rent on his personal residence, but he told the board of directors he had used the retirement account funds to benefit Sanovas. In another part of the scheme to defraud, evidence also showed that in 2017 Gerrans used a Sanovas corporate credit card for lavish personal expenditures, including a $44,000 vacation timeshare, $12,500 for high-end carpets for his home, and $32,000 to pay the property taxes on his personal residence.

Evidence at trial further showed that Gerrans provided false documents to the FBI during the criminal investigation, and that after he was first charged in the case he violated a court-ordered bond condition, attempted to tamper with a witness, and obstructed justice.

Judge Chen scheduled the defendant’s sentencing hearing for May 20, 2020.