Ohio Woman Sentenced For Embezzling At Least $535K From Bank

Vicki L. Perchinske, 52, of Plain Township, Ohio, has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for embezzling at least $535,000 from FirstMerit Bank where she had been employed.  According to authorities, over a period of nearly six years, from December 8, 2004 through September 9, 2010, Perchinske transferred funds from mostly elderly bank customer accounts, into her own accounts for her own benefit.  Perchinske, who was originally indicted in April 2011 on seven felony counts, pleaded guilty this past August to one count of bank fraud. 

Read the story here and here.

Oregon Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $340K From Auto Dealership

Sandra Elizabeth Rose, 47, of Bend, Oregon, has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for embezzling more than $340,000 from Dave Holt Toyota where she had been employed.  According to authorities, Rose siphoned the funds from the dealership over a period of 11 years.  She was originally charged with 21 felony counts in April 2010, including 18 counts of first-degree aggravated theft, two counts of unlawful use of a computer and one count of attempted theft.  However, her plea agreement called for a guilty plea to three counts of theft and one count of computer crimes.  Rose has reportedly repaid some $45,000 in restitution.

Read the story here.

Indiana Woman Accused Of Embezzling $116K From Dental Office

Barbara J. McAlister, 63, of Madison Township, Indiana, has been arrested and charged with embezzling more than $116,000 from a local unidentified dental office where she had been employed.  According to authorities, McAlister misappropriated the money by taking cash receipts from patients and not recording the entries.  According to reports, McAlister took the money in part to help her son, Chad McAlister, pay restitution after he was convicted of embezzling nearly $4,000 from the Madison Township Fire Department.

Read the story here.

Hat tip: anonymous FraudTalk reader.

FraudTalk Celebrates 3 Years

FraudTalk celebrates its 3 year anniversary with nearly half a million visitors, nearly 2,100 posts and nearly 1,000 comments.  Thank you all for visiting and commenting.  We hope you have found our blog interesting and informative.

Former Health Care Bookkeeper In Maine Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $120K

Celine M. Davis, 47, formerly of West Gardiner and now of Lewiston, Maine, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzing some $120,000 from Augusta Orthodontics where she had been employed as a bookkeeper.  According to prosecutors, Davis stole cash receipts from the dental practice over a four year period.  Davis had been employed by Augusta Orthodontics, owned by Dr. Darryl Zeleniak, for 16 years.

Read the story here.

Update (1/10/12): Davis was sentenced to an effective 6 months in prison.  Read the story here.

Virginia Farm Manager For Bronfman Accused Of Embezzling $114K

Michael Nemeyer, 52, of Albemarle, Virginia has been accused of embezzling some $114,000 from the Georgetown Farms he managed on behalf of Edgar Bronfman, the wealthy son of the Seagrams liquor empire.  Nemeyer is charged with using company credit cards and cash for his own personal use over a period of about four years.

Read the story here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Update (10/28/11): Nemeyer was found NOT GUILTY by a jury on the alleged embezzlement charges filed against him. 

Former Tribal President In Oklahoma Indicted For Allegedly Embezzling More Than $500K

Anthony E. Street, 47, of Ponca City, Oklahoma, has been indicted on charges he embezzled more than $500,000 from the Tonkawa Tribe for which he had served as president.  Street allegedly conspired with tribal Vice President Gordon L. Warrior and Secretary-Treasurer Dawena Pappan, to write more than 300 checks to themselves from tribal coffers over a period of 3 years, from April 2005 to April 2008.  They also approved massive pay increases for themselves as well.  Warrior and Pappan have pleaded guilty on separate embezzlement charges and await sentencing.  Street was indicted on 17 felony counts, including one count of conspiracy and 16 embezzlement counts.  Street reportedly has served probation on a drug charge in January 2008.

Read the story here and here.

Update (6/5/12): Street, now 48, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to embezzle funds from the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma.

Update (9/6/12): Street was sentenced to 41 months in prison for a conspiracy to embezzle funds from the Tonkawa Tribe of Oklahoma. 

Former Sheriff In North Carolina Indicted For Allegedly Embezzling More Than $200K

Former Franklin County Sheriff Pat Green in North Carolina has been indicted on charges he embezzled more than $200,000 from the county.  According to prosecutors, over a period of more than 3 years, from at least November 20, 2007 through January 30, 2011, Green misappropriated $221,543 in cash intended for undercover drug buys.  Green reportedly admitted to taking as much as $90,000 while in a state of depression in the wake of his first wife's death in 2008.  He faces up to 19 years in prison if convicted.

Read the story here and here.

Update (8/17/12): Green pleaded guilty to two felony counts of embezzlement and was sentenced to three to five years in prison for embezzling more than $221,000 from Franklin County.

Alaska National Guardsman Accused Of Embezzling $220K From Support Fund

Jason Mathew Johnson, currently an airman with the Alaska National Guard, has been accused of embezzling more than $220,000 from the Guard's Family Program for which he had served as administrator.  According to authorities, Johnson, who had "complete control" over all aspects of the program, wrote checks to himself which he deposited into his own accounts over a period of more than four years, from August 2006 to September 2010.  He has been charged with scheme to defraud, first-degree theft and falsifying business records.  Johnson's rank has been reduced from Sergeant to Airman.

Read the story here.

Former Finance Officer Of Illinois University Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $850K

Susan Piros, 56, formerly of Frankfort, Illinois and currently of Rincon, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $850,000 from St. Xavier University where she had been employed as vice president of business and finance.  According to prosecutors, over a period of more than 10 years, from 1998 to the middle of 2009, Piros received more than $800,000 in unauthorized loans she did not repay.  Piros is also suspected of receiving nearly $1 million in reimbursements for expenses and purchases believed to be for her own benefit.  These reimbursements are apparently unaccounted for but not part of the criminal case.  As part of her plea agreement, Piros has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $854,493.  She is expected to be sentenced to 37 to 46 months in prison upon her sentencing which is scheduled for January 13, 2012. 

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Vermont Woman Charged With Embezzling More Than $315K

Sarah Sanville, 32, of Lyndonville, Vermont, has been charged with embezzling more than $315,000 from Radiantec Company, Inc., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper.  According to authorities, over a period of at least six years, from no later than January 2005 through 2011, Sanville wrote unauthorized checks to herself and used the money to buy a home, a pickup truck, a snowmobile and other personal items.  Sanville reportedly handled all aspects of the company's finances.

Read the story here and here.

Update (11/14/11): Sanville has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Update (7/9/12): Sanville has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $417,000 to Radiantec Company. 

Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Nearly $100K From Boosters Club

Carrie Ann Curtis-Fisher, 39, of Lowell, Michigan, has pleaded guilty to state charges she embezzled nearly $100,000 from the Lowell Athletic Boosters, for which she had served as treasurer.  According to prosecutors, over a period of about 3 years, Fisher wrote checks to herself or to her bookkeeping firm, Curtis Accounting, forging the booster club president's name.  She was also accused of fraudulent tax statements for the non-profit to cover up her alleged theft of $98,588 from the club.  Specifically, Curtis-Fisher plead guilty to embezzlement and illegal use of a computer in exchange for the dropping of forgery charges.  She must also pay restitution.  Curtis-Fisher is due to be sentenced on December 13, 2011 in state court.

Read the story here and here.

Update (12/14/11): Curtis-Fisher has been sentenced to 300 days in jail.

New York Woman Accused Of Embezzling $800K From Healthcare Concern

Bonnie Simson, 41, of Manlius, New York, has been accused of embezzling some $800,000 from St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center where she had been employed as manager of the patient telephone and television services program.  Prosecutors allege that Simson's scheme, which spanned more than 10 years, beginning in December 2000 and continuing through March 2011, involved simply pilfering the envelopes of cash from patients intended to pay for the telephone and television services.  Simson reportedly stole the funds to support a drug habit.

Read the story here & here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Maryland Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud; Admits $313K Embezzlement

Tommy L. Phillips, 55, of Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges in connection with his alleged embezzlement of more than $313,000 from trust accounts at PNC Bank, where he had been employed as a trust officer.  According to reports, Phillips scheme spanned more than a six year period, from 2003 to December 2009 whereby he typically rerouted funds from the banks’ clearing accounts into his own accounts using cashiers checks.  He also wrote checks from the clearing account to pay his credit card bills.  Phillips also allegedly attempted to conceal the thefts by taking funds from incoming trust deposits to replace those funds from the trusts from which he had stolen.   Phillips reportedly used the ill-gotten funds to pay he and his wife's personal bills and to buy jewelry.  He faces up to 30 years in prison, plus restitution and fines upon sentencing, scheduled for January 2012. 

Read the story here.

Update (1/9/12): Phillips has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution.

Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion Following $382K Embezzlement

Collette Snyder, 42, of Timonium, MD, pleaded guilty last week to filing a false tax return for the years 2007 and 2008.  The charges stem from her alleged embezzlement of some $382,000 from Maple Leaf Title where she had been employed as a clerk responsible for recording real estate transaction documents.  According to media reports, Snyder had signature authority over a number of the company's accounts.  Starting in 2007, Snyder reportedly began endorsing company checks to her husband and depositing into his account, without his knowledge, forging his signature.  She also began writing checks to directly to herself and depositing them for her own benefit.

Read the story here.

Update (4/5/12): Snyder has been sentenced to 1 year and a day in federal prison.  She was also ordered to pay $115,529 in restitution to the IRS for taxes owed on the ill-gotten gains.

Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $1.33 Million From Construction Company

Shelly Annette Spencer, 48, of Fernwood Farms, Virginia, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $1.33 million from Higgerson-Buchanan Inc., a local construction company where she had bookkeeping responsibilities.  According to prosecutors, over a period of more than 5 years, from late 2004 to the spring of 2010, Spencer wrote 308 checks from company coffers for her own benefit.  Specifically, Spencer plead guilty to 65 felony counts, admitting to embezzling a total of $1,333,283.68.  It is believed to be the largest embezzlement in Chesapeake County.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Update (7/16/12): Spencer, now 49, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for embezzling some $1.33 million from Higgerson-Buchanan Inc.

Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $718K From Nursing School

Amy Elaine Phillips, 39, of Republic, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled $718,000 from the St. John’s Mercy Health Care Systems and the College of  Nursing where she had been employed as an administrative assistant with bookkeeping responsibilities.  According to authorities, over a three year period, from 2004 through 2007, Phillips intercepted checks payable to the college and deposited them into her own accounts.  After this scheme was halted by her bank, which objected to depositing checks that did not list her as the payee, Phillips began withdrawing funds from the Student Nurses Association bank account on days when she made student deposits.  This latter scheme lasted another two years, from 2007 through 2009, whereby she stole more than $657,000.  Phillips has also plead guilty to tax evasion for income not reported between 2004 and 2008.  In the plea agreement, Phillips has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $717,999, in addition to back taxes of $115,117 plus interest, to the IRS.  She faces up to 15 years in prison.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Update (2/17/12): Phillips has been sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $718,000 in restitution, plus $115,000 in back taxes and interest to the IRS. 

Florida Woman Arrested On Charges She Embezzled As Much As $500K

Julie Mowery, aka Julie Mullen, aka Julie Kay McDonald, 47, of Panama City, Florida, has been arrested on charges she embezzled as much as $500,000 from Tex-Cote Corporation where she had been employed as chief financial officer.  Mowery allegedly attempted to flee the office when confronted but was blocked by her boss, according to reports.  She then backed her car into him and has been charged with Aggravated Battery in addition to Grand Theft.  A forensic audit is being conducted to determine the full extent of Mowery's fraud.

Developing...

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

2 Kentucky Residents Arrested For Embezzling $200K From Convention Center In Vendor Fraud Scheme

J. Patrick Kerr

Susan H. Wilson

John Patrick Kerr, Jr., 42, and Susan H. Wilson, 52, both of Paducah, Kentucky, have been arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 from the Julian Carroll Convention Center, where Kerr had been employed as Executive Director.  According to authorities, over a period of at least one year, Wilson submitted fraudulent invoices from a fake vendor for "website and creative services" to Kerr which he approved and caused to be paid.  Wilson and Kerr then split the ill-gotten proceeds with a kickback to Kerr.  For his part, Kerr reportedly spent his portion on the painkiller medication Lortab, on which he claims to have been addicted.

Read the story here and here.

Read the Paducah Police Department announcement here.

Update (10/25/11): Kerr is now believed to have embezzled as much as $280,000, based upon further investigaiton by authorities.

Update (1/19/12):  State charges filed against Kerr and Wilson have been dropped, leaving them to face only federal charges.

Update (3/16/12): Kerr and Wilson have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges that they embezzled more than $230,000 from the Julian Carroll Convention Center.

Former Court Clerk In Rhode Island Charged With Embezzling $389K

Rachel Arruda, 62, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, has been charged with embezzling some $389,000 from the Woonsocket Municipal Court, where she had served as a clerk until her retirement last year.  According to authorities, Arruda skimmed the monies over a six year period, from 2004 until her retirement in August 2010 through "numerous" unspecified fraudulent transactions.  She had been employed at the court for many years.

Read the story here, here and here.

Read the Rhode Island State Police Dept. announcement here.

Update: Michigan Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $236K From Credit Union

Marcie Graham, 31, of Mulliken, Michigan, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for embezzling some $236,000 from the Case Credit Union where she had been employed as an assistant branch manager.  She has also been order to pay $256,333 in restitution.  Graham was originally indicted last May for misappropriating the funds over a period of nearly two years, from December 2008 to October 2010.  Graham faces up to 30 years in prison, plus restitution.

Read the story here.

Read FraudTalk's original post on this story here.

Read the DOJ announcement of her indictment here.

New York Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $212K From Electrical Contractor

Carol McCready, 52, of Grand Island, New York, has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $212,000 from McCartney Electrical Contracting Corp., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper.  Specifically, McCready plead guilty to one count of second-degree grand larceny and faces up to 15 years in prison.  McCready's scheme spanned as long as 5 years, from January 1, 2005 until December 31, 2009 when she was employed at the company.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

California Man Arrested For Embezzling $200K From Marine Corps Scholorship Fund

Jason Patrick Hitt, 35, of Pomona, California, and a former Marine, has been arrested and charged with embezzling some $200,000 from the U.S. Marine Scholarships Desert Cities Inc., for which he had served as president of the nonprofit.  According to authorities, Hitt skimmed cash contributions and otherwise misappropriated funds from the scholarship fund over a period of "several months" after he had been appointed president of the non-profit in October 2010. 

Read the story here and here.

Update (3/9/12): Hitt pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $133,000 from the U.S. Marine Scholarships Desert Cities Inc.

Update (4/25/12): Hitt has now withdrawn his guilty plea. 

New York Man Has Been Charged With Embezzling $325K From Freight Hauler

Clyde Leroy “J.R.” Lewis Jr., 43, of Prattsburgh, New York, has been charged on 18 counts alleging he embezzled some $325,000 from Home Run Inc., a Xenia, Ohio-based freight hauler for which he had been employed as East Coast manager.  According to authorities, Lewis conspired with Christopher Paul Windsor, 55, of League City, Texas, the owner of Transportation Specialties Inc., another freight company, by submitting at least 1,400 fraudulent invoices and splitting the ill-gotten gains.  Windsor is also charged in the case.  The scheme reportedly spanned nearly 3 years, from 2008 to 2010.  Lewis is charged with mail fraud and filing false tax returns. 

Read the story here and here.

California Man Pleads Guilty And Is Sentenced For Embezzling $135K From Credit Union

Christopher Alcaraz, 32, of Soledad, California, has pleaded guilty to one count of felony embezzlement, admitting he embezzled $135,384.19 from the Unified Federal Credit Union where he had been employed as a teller.  According to authorities, over a period of two years, from June 2008 through May 2010, Alcaraz siphoned funds from the bank.  Alcaraz reportedly stole from his cash drawer, from ATM cash receipts and other accounts.  He was sentenced to 6 months in prison.

Read the story here and here.

Vermont Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $325K

Linda A. Belval, 52, of Morrisville, Vermont, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $325,000 from the offices of Dr. David H. Garbutt, a local optometrist for whom she had been employed as office manager.  According to authorities, over a period of nearly 12 years, from 1999 until February 2011, Belval wrote numerous checks out to herself, attempting to mask them as letigimate expenses or payroll expenses.  In some cases, Belval reportedly used a signature stamp to authorize the fraudulent checks. 

Read the story here and here.

Former County Tax Collector In Missouri Charged With Embezzling $550K Over 20 Year Period

Kathy Sue Roberts, 51, of Downing, Missouri, has been charged with embezzling some $550,000 from Schuyler County coffers for which she had served as county tax collector.  Authorities allege that over a period of nearly 20 years, from 1992 until August 2011, Roberts kept cash tax receipts for herself and issued checks to herself.  Roberts has been indicted by a federal grand jury on one felony count of mail fraud.  Roberts had served as county tax collector since 1987.

Read the story here, here and here.

Update (12/13/11): Roberts' thefts are believed to now total at least $568,974.  Read an update of the story in the local press here.

Former CFO Of Restaurant Chain In California Arrested For Embezzling More Than $1.1 Million

James Cram, 54, of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, has been arrested on charges he embezzled some $1,146,000 from Hennessey's, Inc., a chain of restaurants for which he had been employed as chief financial officer.  Specifically, Cram has been arrested on 19 felony counts including grand theft, money laundering and tax evasion police said.  The thefts may have spanned as long as 5 years, from 2006 until 2010.  Police investigators indicated that Cram was "basically writing checks to himself or his own creditors..." and forging the owner's name on checks.  Cram is being held on $500,000 bond. 

Read the story here and here.

Read the police press release here.

Update (11/23/11): Cram pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft embezzlement and one count of filing a false tax return admitting he embezzled more than $1.146 million.  Thus far he has repaid $610,000 in restitution, according to reports.

Indiana Attorney General Calls For Bill To Curb Public Employee Embezzlement

The Indiana Attorney General, Greg Zoeller, has called for the State General Assembly to pass legislation that would help curb embezzlement by public employees.  One of the provisions would require double signatures for most state expenditures.  This is a good start, although people will always find ways to steal from their employers.  As Marquet International has demonstrated in its annual Marquet Report on Embezzlement, government entities and agencies was the most frequent industry sector victimized by embezzlement.  We recommend a number of other accounting reforms and business controls here. 

Read the story here.

California Woman Sentenced For Embezzling Nearly $220K From Lobbying Firm

Linda Marie Wells, 50, of Sacramento, California, was sentenced to 2 years in prison after pleading no contest to grand theft charges related to her embezzlement of nearly $220,000 from Norwood and Associates, a local lobbying firm where she had been employed as an office manager.  According to prosecutors, Wells defrauded the company by inflating her salary, transferring funds to herself and paying for personal items with company credit acconts over a period of about 6 years, from 2004 through August 2010. 

Read the story here.

Trial Of New Hampshire Woman Accused Of Embezzling Nearly $300K Begins

The trial of Karen E. Susi, 48, of Hudson, New Hampshire, began last week in which she has been accused of embezzling nearly $300,000 from B&K Industrial Services.  According to authorities, Susi, who had been employed by the company as a bookkeeper, allegedly stole the money over a four year period.  Susi's scheme reportedly involved writing checks to herself from company coffers and keeping the proceeds.  Susi had been employed by B&K Industrial Services, through her own bookkeeping firm, Professional Bookkeeping Services, for 16 years, according to media reports.  Susi was originally accused of the embezzlement in March 2009.  The thefts caused extreme hardship for the business' owner, Barry Kendall, who had to lay off workers and cover the losses with personal funds.

Read the story here and here.

Update (10/10/11): In a first for these pages, Karen E. Susi was found NOT GUILTY of embezzling nearly $300,000 from B&K Industrial Services.  Susi's defense alleged that she did as company owner Barry Kendall had asked her to do by writing and cashing checks which ultimately went to HIS benefit, not hers. 

South Carolina Man Accused Of Embezzling $312K From North Carolina Company

Jared Johnson Steele, 34, of Fort Mill, South Carolina, has been charged with embezzling at least $312,000 from Capital Guardian LLC, where he had been employed.  According to prosecutors, Steele deposited the funds into his own bank account, rather than that of the company.  Steele has been charged with 12 felony counts, including 2 counts of embezzlement by an insurance agent, 8 counts of obtaining property by false pretense and 2 counts of false pretense of more than $100,000. 

Developing...


Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

California Woman Pleads No Contest To Charges She Embezzled Nearly $1 Million

Beverly Roan, 58, of Merced County, California, has pleaded no contest to charges she embezzled nearly $1 million from J. Marchini Farms, where she had been employed as a payroll clerk.  According to authorities, over the course of about 8 years, beginning in 2003, Roan, siphoned funds from the farm through a payroll scheme that involved the creation of six phony employees which she then collected the payroll checks and kept the funds for herself.  Authorities report that Roan cashed the checks by forging her boss' signature and gambled away much of the proceeds at the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino.  Roan faces 7 to 10 years in prison upon sentencing, scheduled for October 17, 2011.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.

Update (10/17/11): Roan has been sentenced to 7 years in prison.