FORMER QUEST RESOURCES OFFICIAL PLEADS GUILTY TO CONCEALING ILLEGAL CONDUCT

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—John C. Richter, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, announced that BRENT MUELLER, 52, of Edmond, Oklahoma, pled guilty today to failing to report the illegal taking of $1 million from Quest Resources Corporation (“Quest”) to authorities. Mueller is the former purchasing director for Quest.

“This conviction sends the message that corruption in the context of a publicly-traded company is no more tolerated than corruption anywhere else,” said U.S. Attorney John C. Richter. “ I want to commend the work of the Financial Fraud Task Force, particularly the FBI and IRS agents who are leading this investigation.”

In today’s court proceeding, Mueller admitted that in the summer of 2008 he learned that a now former senior Quest executive had illegally wired $1 million out of Quest to use for a personal investment in an Oklahoma company called Oklahoma Hydrogen Gas Technologies, LLC. Upon learning of that illegal conduct, Mueller admitted that he took several steps to cover up that crime, including lying to Oklahoma Hydrogen about the source of the investment and trying to recover the $1 million to prevent Quest from learning about it.

At sentencing, Mueller faces up to three years imprisonment and, as part of the plea agreement, must pay restitution to the victims of his crime. Sentencing will be set by the Court in approximately 90 days.

This case is the result of a long-term investigation conducted by this district’s Financial Fraud Task Force which includes agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. The Oklahoma Department of Securities and the Securities and Exchange Commission have assisted in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by United States Attorney John C. Richter and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeb Boatman and Sandy Coats.

The investigation is active and continuing.

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