Friday, January 22, 2010

Louisiana Woman Sentenced For $383K Church Embezzlement Scheme

Julia Elise Leppo, 39, formerly of Lake Charles, Louisiana and currently of Lemont, Illinois, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for embezzling $384,032.78 from First Baptist Church of Westlake, Louisiana, where she had served as financial secretary. According to prosecutors, Leppo obtained unauthorized credit cards in the names of the church and a former church employee, then used the cards to charge personal expenses and withdraw cash from ATMs. She also forged church checks to pay credit card balances and issued checks to herself under a fictitious name, according to prosecutors. The scheme lasted for approximately three years, according to reports. Leppo was also ordered to pay full restitution.

Read the story here and here.

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