Former Office Park Manager In Florida Accused Of Embezzling $500K

Shanna M. Lewis, 34, of Tallahassee, Florida is accused of embezzling as much as $650,000 from Innovation Park, a research park in southwest Tallahassee overseen by the Leon County Research and Development Authority, where she had been employed as an office manager. Authority officials believe Lewis forged the signature of the board's chairman on agency checks and deposited into her own accounts. Lewis was fired last Friday and an investigation is ongoing. It should be noted that Lewis was convicted for embezzlement in August 2001, for theft of more than $100,000 from a prior employer. She is now making claims of sexual harassment by another board member.

Read the story here, here and here.

Update (5/2/10): Authorities believe that Lewis' thefts go back at least 2 1/2 years. She reportedly had a personal bankruptcy just prior to her being hired to manage Innovation Park, according to reports.

Read an updated and detailed account of the case here.

Read Shanna Lewis' employment file here.

Update (9/16/10): Innovation Park board is considering suing Lewis' husband, Paul Lewis, in an effort to recover some of the nearly $650,000 she embezzled. Lewis plead guilty last June.

Update (11/19/10): Shanna Lewis was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison plus five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $746,042 in restitution.