Florida Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $115K From Medical Offices

Laurene Jones, 37, of Hudson, Florida, was sentenced to 4 years in prison followed by 10 years probation for embezzling some $115,500 from two doctors offices, that of Dr. Anthony Sankoorikal and Florida Sports Medicine, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper and receptionist. According to authorities, Jones redirected insurance reimbursement checks to her personal bank account over a period of more than three years, from May 2006 until September 2009. Jones was arrested last July after one some petty cash and checks were discovered missing. Police investigators said Jones forged doctors signatures or used a signature stamp to endorse checks to herself. Jones plead guilty to two counts of scheme to defraud on March 1, 2011. Jones reportedly claimed she was "addicted to money."

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Former Florida Bookkeeper Reaches Plea Agreement In $667K Embezzlement Case

Karri March Hughen, 46, of North Naples, Florida, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors admitting she embezzled at least $667,000 from Pinnacle Home Builders where she had been employed as a bookkeeper for 14 years. Specifically, Hughen pleaded no contest to one count of a scheme to defraud and 224 counts of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement, Hughen will serve a 10-year state prison term and 20 years of probation and must pay restitution. According to authorities, Hughen made 224 electronic transfers of funds from company accounts to her own account as well as the account of her husband, Joe Hughen, Jr., 47, and her mother-in-law, Jane Hughen. The scheme reportedly spanned a 2 1/2 year period between January 2004 and August 2006. Her thefts reportedly forced the business to close, according to its former owner, Robert Macaluso. Hughen reportedly used the stolen funds to pay her personal bills and expenses, including mortgages on two homes, credit card and gambling debts. She had a prior criminal conviction for misdemeanor drug possession in 1993. We note that Joe Hughen's father, the now late Pastor Jack Hughen Sr., was forced to resign from the First Baptist Church he served on Marco Island after embezzling and stealing church donations over a 20 year period.

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Florida Woman Charged As Part Of Investigation Into Condo Embezzlement Scheme That Could Reach As Much As $4 Million

Stacey Herrin Snopek Tuck, 35, of North Port, Florida, has been charged on felony counts of Scheme to Defraud and Grand Theft in connection with the alleged misappropriation of more than $100,000 from Chelsea House, a condominium association she had been hired to manage. According to authorities, Herrin-Tuck was employed as a Community Association Manager for Star Hospitality Management, Inc., the management company hired to run the condominium complex known as Charlotte Square, which includes a total of 10 condo associations. Authorities are investigating embezzlement schemes that could total $4 million from all of the associations. The investigation is ongoing into the other possibly related cases. Herrin-Tuck is believed to have started misappropriating association funds in June 2006 and continued until September 2008.

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