Three Sentenced in Massive Meijer mPerks Rewards Theft Targeting Michigan Shoppers

If you've ever saved up your Meijer mPerks rewards for a big shopping trip, imagine logging in only to discover they're gone. That's exactly what happened to dozens of customers in a fraud scheme that stole nearly $73,000 in rewards. Now, the three people behind the theft have learned their punishment.

The final defendant has now been sentenced, bringing the Kent County case to a close. Prosecutors said the trio accessed customer mPerks accounts and redeemed rewards they hadn't earned, costing Meijer customers and the retailer nearly $73,000.

Investigation Begins After Customer Complaints

The Michigan Attorney General's Office launched an investigation in 2023 after numerous Meijer customers reported that their mPerks rewards had been stolen. Investigators determined the trio was responsible for stealing thousands of rewards points from customer accounts.

One of those victims was Jessie Rezba. We reported in 2023 that she had been saving nearly 50,000 mPerks points, worth about $50 off a future grocery purchase. Instead, she logged into her account and discovered someone had redeemed them to buy a bottle of cologne at a Meijer store nearly 100 miles away.

"I saw an in-store order at a store that's like 100 miles away... for cologne," Rezba said. "My $50 turned into a $50 perfume bottle at a store I've never stepped foot in."

Fortunately, Meijer restored Rezba's stolen rewards after she contacted customer service.

How the Meijer mPerks Fraud Scheme Worked

Matthew McCord, 43, was identified as the mastermind who created the computer code that made the thefts possible.

According to WZZM-TV, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Stella compared McCord's role to "the bank employee who placed the key to the vault on the table, left the bank and allowed others to use it to steal the cash."

A federal judge sentenced McCord to two years of probation for the misdemeanor offense, including eight months of home detention. He was also fined $5,000 and ordered to pay restitution.

Two other members of the scheme were sentenced in April. WZZM-TV reports Scott Coulier received two years of probation, a $9,500 fine, and was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution.

At the center of the operation was Michael Goff, who figured out how to load stolen rewards points onto fraudulent mPerks accounts. Goff was sentenced to 18 months in prison, fined $15,000, and ordered to pay nearly $73,000 in restitution.