Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty In $5.2 Million Bank Embezzlement Case

From WHIO on 3/2/2015:

A Miamisburg U.S. Bank manager who allegedly embezzled more than $5.2 million to reportedly feed a gambling habit has agreed to enter a guilty plea.

Amy Scarpelli, 48 when she was arrested last year, is scheduled to plead guilty to one count of embezzlement in front of U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice on April 2 in Dayton’s U.S. District Court.

“The parties have reached a plea agreement, which will be filed on the day that there’s a change of plea hearing,” assistant U.S. attorney Brent Tabacchi said. “The ultimate format of the plea agreement, whether it’s a binding plea agreement or some other iteration, is still to be determined.”

There are other people listed in the federal complaint against Scarpelli, but Tabacchi did not address whether or not they will face prosecution in this case.

As for Scarpelli’s plea deal, prosecutors and defense attorneys Dennis Gump and Lawrence Greger are still determining the parameters and don’t agree on the actual loss amount. Whether or not the attorneys agree on a sentence range, Rice ultimately can impose any sentence he chooses.

“I think she’s accepting responsibility for her participation in the statement of facts that she’s willing to accept,” Gump said. “We’ve worked closely with the U.S. attorneys office and they’ve provided us everything that we’ve asked for.”

The federal statutory maximum penalty for embezzlement is 30 years, but Gump said the range Scarpelli would face is more like four to six or seven years.

“I think gambling is a disease no different than alcohol or drugs,” Gump said. “And I think that we present to the court our sentencing memorandum as they will be presenting theirs and then it will be up to Judge Rice to decide that sentence in that range.”

A federal complaint alleged that Scarpelli and her friends gambled, vacationed and spent freely from 2009 to 2014. The document stated that Scarpelli had approximately $12,287,112.37 in “coins in,” or money spent at slot machines, at Hollywood Casino, while her domestic partner had $7,702,695.22 in “coins in.” Both were awarded “icon” status at the casino in Lawrenceburg, Ind.

Scarpelli and her domestic partner also allegedly purchased some lots at Lake Waynoka. A Secret Service investigation “revealed Caribbean cruises,” paid for by Scarpelli and her domestic partner. Scarpelli also bought a lake house, campers, boats, motorcycles and cars, according to a court document.

Court documents allege Scarpelli used a sophisticated methodology of withdrawing funds from between $25,000 and $45,000 and replacing them with cashier’s checks in a roofing business’ line of credit that was supposed to have been closed.

Scarpelli was released from jail in October when she agreed to wear an electronic monitoring device and remain on house arrest in a West Carrollton residence. She was hired at the Miamisburg branch at 515 E. Central Ave. in 1996 and became branch manager in 2006.