3 Californian's Accused Of Embezzling $900K In Government Funds Affiliated With The Yurok Tribe To Study The Spotted Owl

Roland L. Raymond, 49, of Eureka, California - the former Forestry Director of the Yurok Tribe, along with two contract biologists, Sean Eric McAllister, 45 and Ronald R. LeValley, 65, both of Arcata, California, have been accused of bilking the government out of more than $900,000 in funds primarily intended to be used to study the Spotted Owl.  According to authorities, the three colluded in a fraudulent billing and kickback scheme that spanned nearly a 3 year period from February 2008 to December 2010 whereby Raymond submitted fraudulent invoices on behalf of the biologists and their firm, Mad River Biologists.  A total of 75 such invoices were submitted and paid, totalling $870,064.91.  Raymond, who was a longtime employee of the Yurok tribe, is also accused of making numerous unapproved purchases of personal items on tribal credit card accounts including seven iPads, car repairs, a shower door, gasoline and cleaning supplies.  McAllister and LeValley were arrested earlier this week on charges of burglary, embezzlement and conspiracy.  As of this writing, Raymond had not been arrested.

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Read the affidavit for the search warrant here.

Oregon Woman Who Embezzled Nearly $250K In Part To Pay For Breast Implants & Tummy Tuck Sentenced To Prison

Lisa Marie Sundquist, 45, of Hillsboro, Oregon, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for embezzling nearly $250,000 from Surgical Specialty Group where she had been employed as office manager.  According to authorities, over a period of nearly a year and a half, from July 2008 to November 2009, Sundquist siphoned funds from the medical practice by issuing fraudulent checks to her own benefit.  Sundquist reportedly used much of the ill-gotten gains to pay for breast implants, plastic surgery, repeated sessions at tanning salons, restaurants, flowers and clothes, among other personal expenses.  Sundquist had pleaded guilty to 13 counts of aggravated first-degree theft in state court.

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Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $217K From Federal Government Commission On Religious Freedom

Carmelita R. Hines, 48, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty this week to wire fraud charges in connection with an embezzlement scheme she perpetrated in the amount of $217,074 against the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom where she had been employed as director of administration and office operations manager.  According to prosecutors, over a period of at least 4 years, from 2007 through 2011, Hines used commission credit card accounts and fraudulent reimbursements as well as cash withdrawals for her own benefit.  According to the FBI, Hines made personal purchases with the ill-gotten gains that included "assorted gift cards, computer equipment, automobile GPS systems, an iPod Nano, gasoline, cosmetics, movie tickets, investment in a “get-rich-quick” scheme, and other items."  Hines is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2012.

Read the story here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Former Missouri Banking Exec Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $540K

Kelley Lee Steiner, 52, Jefferson City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $540,000 from the Jefferson Bank where she had been employed as a vice president and secretary to the board.  Steiner also served as the personal executive assistant to former bank president Harold W. Westhues.  Authorities alleged that over a period of nearly 7 years, from January 2002 through November 2008, Steiner embezzled from both the bank and Westhues personal checking account.  Steiner is also alleged to have embezzled about $54,000 from Modern Business Systems, another company for which she had been employed.  Steiner had been charged with embezzlement by a bank officer and submitting a fraudulent tax return in an criminal Information.

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Iowa Man Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $242K From Machinery Company And Is Sentenced To 10 Years

Scott F. Donnelly, 50, of Hiawatha, Iowa, pleaded guilty to charges he embezzled $242,532 from the Newell Machinery Company where he had been employed as company controller.  According to authorities, over a period of nearly 2 years, from July 22, 2009 to March 7, 2011, Donnelly deposited at least 10 checks made out to the company into a personal bank account he had set up.  Donnelly reportedly used the money for personal loans and a mortgage, as well as many luxury items. The funds were tracked to payments that went to a contractor for home renovations, a vacation time share, recreational vehicles and accessories, a piano, auto loans and a spa and pool.  Donnelly was then sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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New York Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $311K From Girl Scouts

Yaasmin K. Hooey, 35, of the Bronx, New York, has been sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison for embezzling $311,586 from the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York where she had been employed as finance director.  According to authorities, over a period of two years, Hooey misappropriated the funds by cashing or depositing into her personal bank account at least 65 checks written and forged from the Girl Scouts' payroll account.  Prosecutors said that Hooey spent some of the ill-gotten gains on a $13,000 diamond ring, a cosmetic laser procedure, gym memberships, clothing, concert tickets and personal travel.  Hooey, who plead guilty to grand larceny, claims she gave most of the money to her girlfriend.  At her sentencing hearing, Hooey is quoted in a statement saying, “I apologize for the situation."

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Ohio Woman Charged With Embezzling As Much As $170K From Trade Union

Laura L. Dixon, 50, of Toledo, Ohio, has been charged with embezzling between $70,000 and $170,216 from the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters where she had been employed as an office secretary.  According to authorities, over a period of more than 5 years, from January 2005 to about March 2010, Dixon converted union membership dues for her own benefit.  Dixon has been charged with one count of labor union embezzlement. 

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Long Island Man Charged With Embezzling $243K From Healthcare Concern

Jeffrey Mohamed, 36, of Medford, New York has been charged with embezzling more than $243,000 from Hospice Care Network, where he had been employed as chief of information technology.  According to authorities, over a period of more than 8 years, from January 2003 to March 2011, Mohamed made unauthorized purchases of computers and other electronic equipment and then returned the items for a credit to his personal account or by selling the equipment and keeping the proceeds.  Mohamed faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Read the story here, here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Montana Woman Accused Of Embezzling Nearly $100K From Little League

Amy Jo Erickson, 39, of Belgrade, Montana, has been charged with embezzling at least $92,085.48 from the Belgrade Little League Baseball Organization where she had served as treasurer.  According to authorities, over a period of more than 3 years, from January 2007 through February 2010, Erickson is alleged to have written league checks to her husband's plumbing business, Erickson Plumbing & Heating LLC, as well as to herself.  She is also alleged to have stolen cash receipts.  Police investigators reportedly interviewed Erickson's husband, believed to be Monty L. Erickson, 39, who claimed he "had no idea" of the embezzlement.  Erickson has plead not guilty to the charges.

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Former Wyoming Hospital Exec Accused Of Embezzling Nearly $850K

Paul Cardwell, currently believed to be living in Thailand, has been accused in a civil lawsuit of embezzling about $848,000 from Powell Valley Healthcare, of Powell, Wyoming, where he had been employed as CEO through its management company, HealthTech Management Services Inc.  According to the lawsuit, over a six month period last year, Cardwell authorized the funds to pay for recruitment of physicians to the hospital.  Instead, the monies were actually sent to a “straw company” set up by an Indiana-based acquaintance of Cardwell’s that did no legitimate work and kicked back a “substantial” amount to Cardwell via electronic transfers.

Developing...

Read the story here.

Michigan Man Accused Of Embezzling $134K From Church & School

James M. "Jim" Kulfan, 54, of Grandville, Michigan, has been charged with embezzling $134,545 from the St. John Vianney School and Parish where he had served as business manager.  According to authorities, Kulfan wrote checks to himself and took cash receipts over an unspecified period of time.  Kulfan had apparently been employed by the church for nearly 9 years before being fired in December 2011 when the misappropriation was discovered.

Developing...

Read the story here, here and here.

Former Oklahoma Bank Exec Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $3 Million

Janice Mora Adams, 54, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $3 million from People's Bank where she had been employed as senior vice president of private banking.  According to authorities, Adams created fraudulent loans and kept the proceeds for her own benefit over a period of nearly 6 years, from May 2004 until February 2010.  During that period, Adams reportedly misappropriated about $3.1 million from the bank.  Adams has agreed to a restitution judgment of $2.7 million and must pay about $860,000 in back taxes on the ill-gotten gains.  According to media reports, the scheme was uncovered in March 2010 and charged in December 2011.

Read the story here and here.

Former CFO Of Idaho Company Charged With Embezzling More Than $550K

Stanley William Mills, 51, of Idaho Falls, ID has been charged with embezzling at least $550,000 from Environmental Management Inc. where he had been employed as chief financial officer.  According to authorities, over a period of at least 6 years, from 2002 to 2008, Mills siphoned money from the company.  He has been charged with one count of felony grand theft.

Developing...

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Former California Film Production Company Exec Charged With Embezzling $812K

Donna Glenn Walker, 57, formerly of Oxnard, California has been charged with embezzling some $812,000 from Danetracks Inc., a post-production sound company in West Hollywood, where she had been employed as a vice president.  According to authorities, Walker fled to Winter Haven, Florida after she was served with a search warrant.  She has been charged with 5 counts of grand theft. 

Developing...

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Pennsylvania Woman Charged With Embezzling More Than $130K

Denise Zbierski, 35, of the Hudson section of Plains Township, Pennsylvania, has been charged with embezzling $130,866 from MotorWorld Automotive where she had been employed as payroll administrator.  According to authorities, over a period of at least one year, between 2010 and 2011, Zbierski inflated her salary by doctoring the books and records of the company.  She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.  Zbierski reportedly admitted to stealing the money to finance a gambling habit.

Read the story here and here.

Michigan Man Accused Of Embezzling $650K From Oldest African American Church

Reuben Bynum, 61, of West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, has been charged with embezzling about $650,000 from the Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, reputed to be the oldest African-American church in the US, where he had served as chief financial officer.  According to authorities, over a period of at least 6 years, until December 2011, Bynum forged checks and abused company credit and ATM cards for his own benefit. 

Read the story here and here.