West Virginia Woman Charged With Embezzling $237K From Convention Center

Tracie Breedlove Dennis, 38, of Charleston, West Virginia, has been charged with embezzling as much $237,000 from the Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau where she had served as a director of operations.  According to authorities, over a period of more than one year, Dennis wrote unauthorized checks to pay for her personal expenses or otherwise for her own benefit.  Dennis allegedly forged checks requiring two signatures.  Specifically, Dennis has been charged with two counts of forgery and uttering and two counts of embezzlement.

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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Nearly $700K

Curtis Philip Pietro, 50, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to charges he embezzled at least $691,323.97 from Glessner Alarm & Communications where he had been employed as vice president of finance. According to authorities, Pietro who had been employed by the company since 1986, wrote himself extra paychecks since 2006. Pietro is also alleged to have transferred company funds to his own American Express account since 2004. Pietro pleaded guilty to two counts of theft scheme of more than $500 and five counts each of forgery and uttering. Investigators believe the losses caused by Pietro could climb to as much as $800,000 or more.

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Oklahoma Woman Charged In $750K Embezzlement Case

Deena Louise Carrier, 41, of Chelsea, Oklahoma, was arraigned yesterday on charges she embezzled $752,177.19 from Osborn Engineering, Inc., a Tulsa-based manufacturer of metal recycling machines, where she had been employed as its office manager. According to authorities, over a period of more than 8 1/2 years, from January 5, 2001 until October 6, 2009, Carrier issued numerous checks for her own benefit, mostly for values less than $5,000. Authorities believe Carrier used some of the ill-gotten gains to purchase vehicles, including horse trailers and other items. Independent research suggests that Carrier is the owner of some horses and mules.

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Update (12/3/10): Carrier pleaded guilty to possessing and uttering counterfeit and forged checks and filing false tax returns for tax years 2001 through 2009. In her plea agreement, Carrier has agreed to pay $752,177.19 in restitution to Osborn Engineering and $140,953.28 to the IRS in back taxes owed. She is due to be sentenced on March 2, 2011.

Update (3/2/11): Carrier was sentenced to 41 months in prison, plus make resittution of $752,177.19 to her former employer, Osborn Engineering and now $286,648 to the IRS for taxes owed on the ill-gotten gains.

Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty In $200K Embezzlement Case

Sarah A. Richard, 58, of Shirley, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled nearly $200,000 from Vitasoy USA Inc., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper handling accounts payable. According to prosecutors, Richard diverted $198,380.21 to "Imperial Cleaning" a company she and her husband controlled. The thefts allegedly occurred over a nearly five year period from November 2003 to October 2008. Richard reportedly altered at least 105 legitimate checks to make them payable to her cleaning company. Richards reportedly has blamed her actions on a terrible upbringing, a bad marriage and a gambling addiction. As part of her plea agreement, where she pleaded guilty to five counts of uttering and passing counterfeit securities, Richard will get only two years probation and must pay full restitution.

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Read the DOJ announcement of her guilty plea here.

Another light sentence, IMHO...

Update: Former Cape Cod Bank Exec Pleads Guilty To $179K Misappropriation

Kathleen Morris, 34, of Truro, Massachusetts pleaded guilty yesterday to charges she misappropriated $179,397 from the Seamen's Bank in Provincetown where she had been employed as a commercial lending vice president. According to prosecutors, Morris created 15 false loan applications from 2007 to 2009 in the names of friends and family members, including her mother Jean Bodman, which she then approved herself. Morris claimed she took the money to help her mother who had been financially victimized by a sibling with a drug problem. However, prosecutors showed that Morris bought motor vehicles and went on a Caribbean cruise with some of the ill-gotten gains. Morris, who was originally charged on 47 fraud counts last year, was sentenced to 2½ years in jail with one year to be served, five years of probation, continued psychiatric counseling and full restitution to Seamen's Bank. She has also been banned from working in the financial industry for life. Morris reportedly started at Seaman's Bank in 1997 as a teller and worked her way up to vice president.

Read FraudTalk's original post on this story here.

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Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Nearly $1 Million From Medical Office

Beverly Morgan, 31, of Collinsville, Mississippi, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled nearly $1 million from Urology Clinic of Meridian where she had been employed as office manager. Specifically, Morgan was charged with one count of embezzlement and one count of uttering forgery. Morgan's scheme, which is believed to have lasted about 2 years, involved fraudulent cash transfers, wireless transfers, forged checks, and the unauthorized use of clinic credit cards, according to authorities. Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced on March 26th and faces up to 5 years in prison, plus fines and restitution.

Read the story here.

Update (3/26/10): Morgan was sentenced to 10 years in prison with 6 years suspended.

Michigan Woman Sentenced For Nearly $100K Embezzlement

Melissa Kay Grawey, 42, of Petoskey, Michigan, was sentenced to 11 months in prison for embezzling more than $96,000 from Northern Dental Group, PC. where she had been employed as an office manager. Grawney allegedly forged checks from the company over a 2 1/2 year period. Grawey was originally charged last May with eight felonies, including criminal enterprise, embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000, forgery, and uttering and publishing.

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Michigan Woman Charged With Embezzling $110+K From Law Firm

Jessica Harmon, 32, of Lowell, Michigan, has been charged with embezzling more than $100,000 from a unnamed local law firm where she had been employed apparently in a bookkeeping position. The thefts reportedly occurred over a 3 year period. Specifically, Harmon faces charges of embezzlement of more than $20,000, uttering and publishing and using a computer to commit a crime. Harmon, who had been employed by the law firm for 10 years, allegedly made unauthorized withdrawals from firm accounts and wrote herself extra pay checks.

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Former West Virginia Parks & Rec Official Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $130K

Amy Marie Mick, 31, of Morgantown, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to embezzlement, uttering and two counts of forgery in connection with the theft of some $130,000 from the Morgantown Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners (BOPARC), where she oversaw senior programs and had bookkeeping responsibilities. According to authorities, Mick misappropriated the funds between 2006 and 2009 from BOPARC's Retired Seniors Volunteer Program by making unauthorized purchases with an agency debit/credit card. She faces up to 40 years in prison and must pay restitution.

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Update (7/21/10): Mick was sentenced yesterday to five years probation and ordered to pay full restitution and send a written apology to the Morgantown BOPARC.

Former Massachusetts Bank Exec Arrested For Allegedly Misappropriating $179K

Kathleen Morris, 34, of Truro, Massachusetts, has been arrested on charges she misappropriated some $179,000 from Seamen's Bank, where she had been employed as vice president of commercial lending. Morris allegedly obtained fraudulent loans from the bank by submitting false credit information in the names of seven friends and family members between August 2007 and April 2009. According to prosecutors, none of the friends or relatives were involved in the scam. Morris plead not guilty to the 47 criminal charges, which include 15 counts each of forgery of a promissory note, uttering false writing and obtaining credit over $250 by a false financial statement as well as charges of larceny over $250 by a single scheme and embezzlement from a bank. Morris, who reportedly submitted 15 fraudulent loan packages, was fired last April.

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North Carolina Woman Charged In $265K Embezzlement Case

Janet Cavalier, 47, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, has been arrested and charged with embezzling some $265,000 from the Rocky Mount Area Association of Realtors for whom she had been employed. According to authorities, Cavalier forging and cashing fraudulent checks from the organization. The complaint alleges that from January 1, 2003 through July 2009 Cavalier forged checks under the false endorsement “Janet Ducatte.” She has been charged with three counts of larceny by an employee, 13 counts of forgery and 13 counts of uttering a forged endorsement.

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Massachusetts Accountant Indicted For Embezzling $780K From Harvard Jewish Organization

William O'Brien, 58, of Framingham, Massachusetts, was indicted yesterday for allegedly embezzling some $780,000 from Harvard Hillel for which he had served as a contract accountant. According to reports, O'Brien worked on behalf of Harvard Hillel between 2003 and 2008 through New England Company Insource Services, which provides contract accounting services. Specifically, O'Brien was indicted on one count of forgery, one count of uttering, 11 counts of larceny over $250, 2 counts of larceny by continuous scheme, and 5 counts of failure to file income tax returns.

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Update (9/13/10): O'Brien has been sentenced to up to three years in prison for embezzling $780,000 from the Harvard Hillel. He plead guilty to forgery and larceny charges last week.

Michigan Bookkeeper Accused Of Misappropriating $100K

Robyn Garver, 38, of Alanson, Michigan, has been charged with embezzling more than $100,000 from Windjammer Cove and Marina Development, of Petoskey, Michigan, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. According to investigators, Garver purchased stamps and phone cards using company checks, selling them on eBay, and shipping them with a company fed-ex account. She was charged yesterday with 8 felony counts, including criminal enterprise conducting, embezzlement of more than $100,000, two counts of use of a computer to commit a crime and four counts of "uttering and publishing." She faces up to 20 years in prison, plus restitution and fines.

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Update On JetBlue Embezzlement Case: Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty

Carol Davidson, 43, of Midlothian, Virginia, pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges yesterday in Henrico County Circuit Court, admitting that she stole some $338,000 from JetBlue Airlines, where she had been employed as a manager. Specifically, Davidson pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts including, embezzlement, forgery or uttering bogus checks, essentially admitting that she forged employee names on JetBlue checks and used a company credit card for her own expenses. Davidson reportedly has a compulsive buying disorder. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 14th when she faces more than 100 years in prison.

Read FraudTalk's original post on this story here.

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Michigan Financial Advisor Charged With Embezzling $100K In Client Funds

Lawrence McCoy, a financial advisor based in Wexford County, Michigan, was arrested and charged with embezzlement, forgery and "uttering and publishing." for allegedly stealing at least $100,000 from his clients. Details on the case are sketchy at this point.

Developing...

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Virginia Couple Charged With Embezzling Over $2 Million

Karen A. Hiles, 47, and James G. Hiles, 59, of Suffolk, Virginia, were indicted yesterday on 73 counts alleging they embezzled more than $2 million from an unnamed Virginia Beach-based real estate developer. Karen Hiles was employed as a $19,000 per year part-time bookkeeper for the developer and together with her husband, forged numerous business checks and made fraudulent wire transfers between 2002 to 2007. The indictment alleges that $2.3 million was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Hiles during this period. The pair have been indicted on charges of conspiracy, uttering, mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

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