Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Former Massachusetts Museum CFO Indicted In $1.3 Million Embezzlement Case

Peggy Kempton, 58, of Hollis, New Hampshire, has been indicted for allegedly embezzling $1.3 million from the Fruitlands Museum of Harvard, Massachusetts where she had been employed as its chief financial officer. She has plead not guilty to the charges that include 14 counts of larceny over $250 by single scheme, three counts of fraudulent use of credit cards, and making false entries in corporate books. According to reports, Kempton is alleged to have made unauthorized credit card charges for personal expenses and college tuition for her children. She is also alleged to have then manipulated the museum's books in an attempt to cover up her thefts. According to prosecutors, the thefts occurred between January 2002 and February 2008 and involved 14 different credit cards. She is also facing a civil suit for recovery filed by the museum. The civil case alleges that Kempton's three children were also involved in the fraud.

Read the story here, here, here and here.

Update (7/2/10): Kempton was sentenced to 3-5 years in prison. She had pleaded guilty to all 18 counts last May.

Read the updated story here.

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