Arkansas Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $244K From County Coffers

From TXK Today on 10/30/2014:

Texarkana, Arkansas | Keesha Rose, age 37, pleaded guilty today to Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, announced Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas. Rose serves as the County Treasurer and Tax Collector for Lafayette County. The Honorable Harry F. Barnes accepted the plea in the United States District Court in Texarkana.

U. S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “We remain committed to investigating and prosecuting public officials that abuse the trust placed in them by embezzling public funds. Such conduct offends taxpayers and citizens as well as the vast majority of public officials who are truly dedicated to their service.”

“Criminal acts by our public officials, such as those committed by Ms. Rose, undermine the trust necessary in our democracy,” stated David T. Resch, Special Agent in Charge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Little Rock, “We will continue working closely with the Arkansas State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s office to investigate and prosecute such violations.”

Facts in the case according to court records are that Keesha Rose was elected as Treasurer and Tax Collector for Lafayette County, Arkansas in November, 2010 and was responsible for collection and administration of all funds collected and disbursed on behalf of Lafayette County. Lafayette County received benefits in excess of $10,000 under a Federal program for the both 2011 and 2012. On May 31, 2013, The Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit reported that a comparison of cash receipts to cash bank deposits revealed that $162,275.00 was not deposited in the county’s bank accounts by Rose for a period of January 1, 2011 through September 20, 2012. The auditors noted numerous issues with accounting processes and recordkeeping that were consistent with the embezzlement of funds. In addition to the $162,275.00, auditors determined that for the time period between September 20, 2012 and November 7, 2013, an additional $81,618 in public funds was embezzled by Rose, bringing the total to $243,893.00.

On March 19, 2014, a Federal Grand Jury issued an indictment against Rose charging her with two counts of theft of a program receiving federal funds in excess of at least $5,000.


Update (3/21/2015): Rose was sentenced to 24 months in prison.  Read the story here.

Former IT Manager Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $150+K From Virginia Non-Profit

From The Washington Post on 2/5/14:

The former manager of a non-profit’s technology department has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $150,000. 

Fifty-five-year-old Paul F. Kaufman of Stafford, Va., pleaded guilty to theft concerning a program receiving federal funds on Wednesday in federal court in Washington. He faces up to 30 months in prison at sentencing May 8.

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Read the whole story here.

 

Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $195K From Legal Services Agency

Cheri A. Logue, 42, of Claysville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for embezzling some $195,000 from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services Corporation where she had served as legal aid. According to authorities, Logue misappropriated the funds from the non-profit agency that provides legal services to low-income people, over a period of at least 7 years, from 2001 until June 2008. According to prosecutors, she misappropriated the funds by writing at least 86 checks to herself or for her own benefit, made at least 56 unauthorized cash withdrawals using an agency ATM card, made at least 25 unauthorized electronic transfers to herself or to pay for personal expenses and made more than 300 unauthorized and improper charges to an agency credit card for her own benefit. Many of Logue's ATM withdrawals were made at or near local gambling concerns, suggesting she may have a gambling problem. Logue and her family have already reportedly made full restitution to the agency. Logue, who was fired in June 2008 after suspicions were raised about missing funds, pleaded guilty to the charge of theft from a program receiving federal funds on April 27, 2010.

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Former CFO From Virginia Charged With Embezzling Nearly $400K From Health Care Concern

Judy Hall, 59, of Abingdon, Virginia, has been indicted on charges she embezzled some $389,000 from Tug River Health Care Association, Inc., a non-profit health concern where she had been employed as chief financial officer. According to prosecutors, Hall issued fraudulent checks from the health concern to herself over a period of a year and a half between April 2008 and July 2009. Hall allegedly forged two signatures on each check and deposited them into her own accounts in banks in Virginia. Authorities also allege that Hall erased records of the phony checks then intercepted checking account statements from Tug River’s bank, altered them by replacing the phony checks with copies of legitimate checks, and then photocopied the altered record so it would not be detected. Hall has been charged with theft from an organization receiving federal funds and faces up to 10 years in prison, plus fines and restitution.

Read the story here and here.

Missouri Man Pleads Guilty In $750+K Embezzlement Conspiracy

Larry Covington, 50, of Ash Grove, Missouri, pleaded guilty yesterday to charges he was involved in an embezzlement conspiracy that defrauded the city of Nixa, Missouri, out of $756,010. Specifically, Covington plead guilty to four felony counts, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and theft from an organization receiving federal funds. According to prosecutors, Covington, his wife, Paula Covington, 53, and another former Nixa city employee, David W. Griggs of Willard, Missouri, created three phony businesses and submitted a total of 272 fraudulent invoices to the city of Nixa, splitting the proceeds for themselves. According to the 51 count indictment filed against the three co-conspirators in May 2009, their scheme spanned a four and a half year period, from October 18, 2004, through February 25, 2009. Paula Covington plead guilty last month money laundering charges and was sentenced to one year and a day in prison. Griggs plead guilty last August to felony counts including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, theft from an organization receiving federal funds and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is awaiting sentencing. Larry Covington faces up to 70 years in prison, plus restitution.

Read the story here and here.

Former Bookkeeper For Missouri Veteran's Commission Alleged To Have Embezzled $107K From Agency

Stacy Griffin-Lowery, 32, of Holt’s Summit, Missouri, is believed to have misappropriated some $107,000 from the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. Griffin-Lowery pleaded guilty in June 2008 to a misdemeanor charge for misappropriating $17,665 in unauthorized company credit card charges for personal expenses. Unfortunately, the plea agreement was broad enough to include any other thefts from MVC during that time. At the time of the plea agreement, the state audit was not complete. Ironically, Griffin-Lowery worked with the Missouri State Auditor's Office for six years prior to working for the MVC.

Read the story here and here.

Update: Griffin-Lowery reportedly paid back the monies she embezzled. She was sentenced to pay the restitution, plus 200 hours of community service and 5 years probation.