Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $237K From Health Benefit Company

Nicole Stepney Turner, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges she embezzled $237,638.54 from CareFirst, a health benefit provider affiliated with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, for whom she had been employed as a billing and enrollment technician. Prosecutors alleged that Turner caused 84 checks to be issued from CareFirst to 10 conspirators, including her husband, Melvin Turner, who has also been charged in this case, but remains at large. The conspirators then cashed the checks and kicked back most of the proceeds to the Turners, according to prosecutors. Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case. Nicole Turner faces up to 10 years in prison, plus restitution and fines.

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Read the DOJ announcement here.

Michigan Woman To Be Tried For Embezzling More Than $100K From Auto Dealership

Rhonda C. Cron, 42, of Frankenmuth, Michigan, waived her preliminary hearing and is set to be tried for allegedly embezzling more than $100,000 from Mike Young Pontiac-GMC auto dealership where she had been employed as an administrator in the dealership's body shop. According to prosecutors, Cron deposited insurance reimbursement funds for body work into her own accounts. The scheme reportedly lasted from at least June 1, 2002 until June 1, 2009. Cron, pictured here with an unidentified friend, faces up to 20 years in prison, plus restitution and fines.

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Pennsylvania Woman Charged With Embezzling $500+K From Auto Dealership

Elisa Maria Liberatore-Thomas, 32, of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, was arraigned yesterday on charges she embezzled $534,248 from the Tregembo Ford auto dealership in Bentleyville, where she had been employed as a business manager. Liberatore-Thomas, who had responsibility for making daily bank deposits for the dealership, allegedly began making unauthorized electronic transfers as well as depositing dealership funds into her own accounts at three separate bank accounts at the National City Bank branch in Washington County, beginning in January 2004 and continuing until January 2008. Some of the accounts were reportedly held in the name of her husband, Jeffrey Thomas, although he has not been charged in the case at this time. Specifically, Liberatore-Thomas was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, dealing in unlawful activities, and theft by deception. She had been employed as a manager at the dealership since 2001.

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Ohio Man Indicted In $200K Embezzlement Case

Dennis L. Butler, 68, of Hillsboro, Ohio, was indicted today for allegedly embezzling some $202,000 from an unnamed church in Concord Township, Ohio, where he had served as its long-time treasurer. According to the indictment, Butler's scheme spanned a five year period and involved the misappropriation of church funds for his personal use. The indictment charges him with one felony count of theft and one felony count of tampering with records. Butler had been separately employed as an insurance and investment agent.

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Update: Arizona Bookkeeper Sentenced In $650K Embezzlement Case

Yolanda Denise Enos, 46, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for embezzling $649,675 from Noline and Smith L.L.C., dba JR’s Convenience Store in Scottsdale, Arizona where she had been employed as office manager and bookkeeper. Enos was arrested last March and plead guilty to a felony theft charge in August. Prosecutors alleged that Enos' scheme spanned four years from January 3, 2002 to January 31, 2006 wherein she stole cash from the store's cashier envelopes. Enos must also pay full restitution and perform 100 hours of community service.

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Update: Wisconsin Bank Exec Indicted In $635K Embezzlement Case Commits Suicide

David K. Henke, 50, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, was found dead in his car yesterday in an apparent suicide. Henke had been indicted by a federal grand jury last July for allegedly embezzling some $635,000 from the Rapids Municipal Credit Union where he had served as president. Prosecutors had alleged that Henke misappropriated the funds between November 1999 and October 2008 by manipulating the financial institution's books and records. Specifically, Henke was indicted on 20 felony counts, including bank fraud and embezzlement and faced up to 600 years in prison, a $1 million fine, 5 years period of supervised release, and restitution. The Wood County Coroner's office has officially ruled the death a suicide.

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Alabama Bookkeeper Charged With Embezzling Nearly $900K

Daphne Miller Brooks, 50, of Woodstock, Alabama, has been indicted on charges she embezzled $878,480 from Equity Development Corporation, a subsidiary of McDonald Management, Inc., where she had been employed as a manager and bookkeeper. The 14 count indictment includes charges of mail fraud, securities fraud and under-reporting income on federal income tax forms stemming from her alleged scheme that lasted from 2004 to 2008. The indictment alleges Brooks misappropriated the funds, in part, by making unauthorized credit card payments for her own benefit.

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Read the DOJ announcement here.

Kentucky Branch Of Big Brothers Big Sisters Charity Victim In $435K Embezzlement Case

According to a civil lawsuit filed late yesterday by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Blusgrass, the Kentucky branch of the charity agency has been the victim of an embezzlement conspiracy involving six employees, including its office manager, Bendrea D. Wilson, 31, of Lexington. The amount allegedly stolen exceeds $435,000, according to the lawsuit, which seeks to recover the lost funds, which amounts to over half its operating budget. The new CEO, Dale Suttles, has made a public plea for continued public support. An internal investigation revealed at least 142 forged checks had been written on the agency's accounts totalling $435,837. The scheme reportedly spanned nearly a year from late 2008 until last week. The agency claims that the remaining five individuals who allegedly cashed some of the forged checks included Lexington residents, Demetrius Davis, Danny Fondren, Charles Mealing, Emmanuel Marshall and Danville resident, Marcus Searcy.

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Update: Former Montana Bank Teller Sentenced In $800K Embezzlement Case

Leslie Susan Stehr, 45, of Missoula, Montana, has been sentenced to 44 months in prison for embezzling some $803,000 from the First National Bank of Montana where she had been a longtime employee. Stehr, who was originally charged last April, had pleaded guilty in July to federal charges of embezzlement and tax evasion. As part of her sentence, Stehr will be placed on 5 years probation after release from prison and must pay restitution in the amount of $1,015,374. According to prosecutors, Stehr began her embezzlement activities in November 1999 and continued for eight and a half years until February 2008, when she was caught. Stehr was employed as a bank teller supervisor and vault supervisor, which allowed her to manipulate the bank books and records to conceal her thefts. Investigators say Stehr spent the money on maintaining a lavish lifestyle, including expensive gifts for herself and luxury travel. It has been reported that Stehr also has a prior history of embezzlement, from another local bank and an athletic shop where she had previously been employed.

Read FraudTalk's original post on this story here.

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Read the DOJ announcement of her guilty plea here.

Former Pennsylvania Utility Exec Pleads Guilty In $141K Embezzlement Case

Carl Paul Lewis, 54, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to embezzling some $141,000 from the Bullskin Township/Connellsville Township Joint Sewerage Authority for which he had been employed as the executive director. Prosecutors had alleged that Lewis stole payroll funds and cash from customer payments to the utility over a period of about 2 years from 2005 to 2007. As part of his guilty plea, Lewis agreed to a sentence of between 1 and 2 years in prison. He also agreed to make restitution.

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Update: Louisiana Bank Exec Is Sentenced In $135K Embezzlement Case

Loretta Kathryn Balsamico, 51, of Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced to six months in jail and a follow-on six months house arrest for embezzling $135,800 from Citizens Savings Bank where she had served as an assistant vice president. Balsamico had pleaded guilty late July to the embezzlement. Prosecutors had alleged that she had also falsified bank books and records in an attempt to cover-up her thefts. She is believed to have removed between $5,000 and $10,000 in cash per month from her teller drawer over more than a year period.

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Former Wisconsin Insurance Exec Pleads Guilty In $560K Embezzlement Case

Douglas A. Nickerson, 45, of Janesville, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling some $560,000 from the General Casualty Insurance Company in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, where he had been employed as a manager. According to the indictment, Nickerson had checks written to three co-conspirators, under the guise as legitimate insurance claims. The co-conspirators, including David A. Janssen, 47, of Oregon, then deposited the checks, kept a portion for themselves, but kicked back most the money to Nickerson. Janssen and Nickerson were both indicted last June. Over $800,000 was reportedly misappropriated, some $560,000 went back to Nickerson. Janssen is expected to plead guilty to violating federal tax laws for failing to report the money he received in the scheme, which lasted from 2003 until 2008. Nickerson faces up to 10 years in prison upon sentencing, scheduled for next February 16th.

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Read the DOJ announcement here.

Maine Woman Accused Of Embezzling More Than $100K From Law Firm

Amy L. Christiansen, 29, of Oxford, Maine, has pleaded not guilty on charges laid out in a formal indictment that she embezzled more than $100,000 from the law firm of Berman and Simmons between 2007 and early 2009. After the indictment was announced, the law firm released a statement indicating that Christiansen admitted to the theft. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

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California Bookkeeper Charged In $245K Salon Embezzlement Case

Bethany Jane Brady, 43, of Newport Beach, California, has been charged with embezzling some $245,000 from the Hampton Salon where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. According to prosecutors, Brady started paying her utility and other personal bills in October 2006 by transferring funds from the Salon's accounts via PayPal. Specifically, Brady was charged on felony counts of grand theft, identity theft, computer fraud and money laundering. Prior to being hired directly by the salon, Brady reportedly handled bookkeeping for an outside accounting firm for 13 years. Brady faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

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Iowa Bank Teller Pleads Guilty In $146K Embezzlement Case

Holly Boehm, 34, of Monticello, Iowa, pleaded guilty last week to charges of bank embezzlement and aggravated identity theft in connection with her alleged theft of some $146,000 from an unnamed bank where she had been employed as a teller. Boehm reportedly used a third party's bank account to access the funds. She faces up to 30 years in prison, plus fines and restitution.

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Update: California Ponzi Schemer Pleads Guilty In $40 Million Case

Kenneth Kenitzer, 66, of Pleasanton, California a former principal of Equity Investment Management and Trading, Inc., was officially charged with running a $40 million Ponzi scheme together with co-conspirator, Anthony Vassallo, 30, of Folsom, California. Kenitzer, who is expected to plead guilty to money laundering and mail fraud, is reportedly cooperating with the authorities on the case. According to prosecutors, at least 150 investors lost as much as $40 million as a result of the scheme. Kenitzer and Vassallo reportedly promised investors that they could earn at least 36 percent return by using a proprietary trading program. Kenitzer and Vassallo targeted potential investors in the local Mormon community in the Folsom area. Kenitzer faces up to 30 years in prison.

Read FraudTalk's earlier post on this story here.

Read the DOJ's announcement here.