Saturday, January 7, 2012

Louisiana Woman Charged With Embezzling Nearly $200K From Local Housing Agency

Sarah Robert, believed to be in her early 50s, of Church Point, Louisiana, has been charged by federal authorities with embezzling nearly $200,000 from the Church Point Housing Authority in Louisiana where she had served as executive director.  According to prosecutors, Robert employed several schemes to siphon money from the agency.  The principal scheme appears to have involved a vendor fraud variation whereby she phonied up invoices from legitimate vendors and was reimbursed for the fraudulent charges claiming she had paid them with personal funds.  She also gave herself unauthorized bonuses and pay.  The thefts occurred over a two year period between January 2009 and January 2011.  Robert has been charged with one count of embezzlement of government money totaling $195,778.  Another individual, Arthur Felix, has also been charged in the case.  It is unclear how Felix aided and abetted Robert. 

Read the story here.

Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Sara.

Update (3/19/12): Robert, 51 and Felix, 52, have pleaded guilty to federal charges of embezzlement of government money. 

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