Virginia Woman Sentenced In $500K Embezzlement Scheme

Karen L. Parish, 39, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for embezzling more than $500,000 from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office where she had been employed as a financial analyst. Parish plead guilty in August to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the case. According to the criminal complaint, from May 1998 and September 2005, Parish deposited customer monies into her own accounts and accounts of her co-conspirator, Michael H. Reid, disguising them as customer refunds. In all, Parish and Reid allegedly stole $534,338.55 in this manner. She has also been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $527,478.55. Reid, 50, of Fort Washington, Maryland, pleaded guilty in August in the case and was also sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Read the story here and here.

Read the US Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General's announcement here.