Union Local Bookkeeper In Michigan Sentenced For Embezzling $200K

Robin Wolff, 49, of Stevensville, Michigan, was sentenced to 2 years in prison for embezzling $200,000 from the Benton Harbor Local 383 of the United Automobile Workers union where she had served as a bookkeeper. Wolff plead guilty last July to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets and one count of falsification of union financial records. Authorities alleged that Wolff issued herself 194 additional salary checks from union funds and charged personal expenses to union credit cards over a four year period. She was also ordered to pay $200,298 in restitution.

Read the story here.

Former Bank Exec From Missouri Sentenced In Bank Fraud. Embezzlement Case

Timothy Earl Ferguson, 48, of Columbia, Missouri, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for defrauding the US Bank where he had been employed as a bank officer. According to authorities, from 2002 and 2003, Ferguson created a series of fraudulent loans, totalling $660,000 and then deposited some $217,000 of the proceeds from those loans into his own accounts. Ferguson was also ordered to pay $1,053,684 in restitution.

Read the story here and here.

Former Courthouse Worker In Alaska Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $237K

Katherine L. Turner, 39, of Fairbanks, Alaska, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree theft, admitting she embezzled some $237,000 from the Fairbanks Courthouse where she had been employed as a district accounting supervisor . According to prosecutors, Turner misappropriated bail funds over a period of about three years, beginning in 2007.

Read the story here and here.

Ernst & Young Executive Assistant In California Sentenced For $1.7 Million Embezzlement Scheme

Lily C. Aspillera, 65, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for embezzling some $1.7 million from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young where she had been employed as an executive assistant. According to prosecutors, Aspillera wrote numerous fraudulent checks to herself or to "cash" from an E&Y client account over a six year period, from 2002 until 2008. She also wrote checks to two employees of the client in excess of the funds they were due and had them kick-back the additional funds. Aspillera reportedly used the ill-gotten gains to finance a lavish lifestyle including a $180,000 down payment on a $1.1 million home in exclusive St. Francis Wood neighborhood of San Francisco, luxury trips, 2 BMW automobiles and jewelry worth more than $200,000. She plead guilty last April to mail fraud and tax evasion charges and must pay restitution of $1.7 million, plus $644,843 in back taxes. Independent research reveals that Aspillera filed for bankruptcy in October 2008.

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcements here .

2 Southern California Execs Indicted In FCPA Case

Keith E. Lindsey, 65, of La Canada, California and the president of Lindsey Manufacturing Co., and Steve K. Lee, 60, of Diamond Bar, California and Lindsey's CFO, were both charged with eight felony counts, including conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering in connection with the alleged bribery of a Mexican official identified as "N.M." in exchange for lucrative contracts. Prosecutors allege that Lindsey and Lee paid more than $5 million to an intermediary to purchase a luxury yacht and a Ferrari, among other things, for the Mexican official, believed to be Nestor Moreno, who recently resigned as director of operations for Mexico's national electric utility. Also indicted were Enrique Aguilar Noriega, 56, and his wife Angela Gomez Aguilar, 55, both of Cuernavaca, Mexico, who acted as the intermediary in the scheme.

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Florida Businessman Pleads Guilty In Bribery Case

Lance Young, a Jacksonville, Florida businessman, pleaded guilty to bribery charges and agreed to testify against former Jacksonville Port Authority Vice Chairman Tony Nelson, 51, to whom he paid bribes in exchange for contracts. Young admitted that he agreed to pay Nelson an annual bribe of $102,000 to Nelson who then steered some $2.5 million in dredging contracts to Young's company, Subaqueous Services Inc. Nelson was indicted last January on 44 felony counts, including conspiracy, money laundering, mail fraud, bribery and making a false statement to the FBI.

Read the story here, here and here.

New Mexico Woman Charged With Embezzling $1.4 Million

Shirlene L. Childers, 55, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was charged with embezzling more than $1.4 million from JCH Industries, Inc., a local machinery company, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. According to authorities, over a six year period, beginning in 2004, Childers allegedly issued more than 300 fraudulent checks to herself, family members, a company she owned, personal credit card bills or to pay for other personal expenses. Childers, who was described by the JCH's owner as his "most trusted employee," was charged with 306 counts of embezzlement. Authorities believe Childers misappropriated a total of $1,435,598. According to media reports, Childers has repaid about $500,000 thus far.

Read the story here and here.

Florida Woman Sentenced In $7.3 Million Embezzlement Case

Lori Lockman Julian, 48, of Casselberry, Florida, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for embezzling more than $7.3 million from the William C. Webb Co. and its related business, Industrial Park Development Corp., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. According to authorities, Julian forged company checks written out to herself and others as well as made online payments to personal vendors and credit cards. The scheme, which netted Julian a total of $7,345,050.13, spanned more than 4 years, from August 2005 through October 2009, according to prosecutors. Authorities said she used the misappropriated funds to finance a lavish lifestyle including a second home, Orlando Magic season tickets, vehicles, boats, designer handbags and other personal luxury items. Julian pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in a plea agreement. She must also pay restitution.

Read the story here and here.

Watch a video on the story here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

2 Attorneys Charged In $300K Florida Condo Association Embezzlement

Charles Bennett III, aka S. Charles Bennett, 61, of Naples, Florida (pictured here) and Kenneth M. Marwick, 64, of Bonita Springs, Florida, have been charged with grand theft in connection with the alleged embezzlement of some $300,000 from the Lovers Key Beach Club and Resort Condo Association. The two defendants are local attorneys who apparently handled some of the affairs of the Association. The misappropriation allegedly occurred over a two year period from 2006 until 2008. Specific details on the nature of the thefts have not yet been released.

Read the story here and here.

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.

Read the story here.

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.

Update: Former Vermont Town Treasurer Charged With Embezzling More Than $400K

Donald Hewitt, 58, of Ira, Vermont, was charged in state court with embezzling more than $400,000 from the Town of Ira, where he had served as town treasurer. According to authorities, a town audit revealed discrepancies in some of its accounts and implicated Hewitt in the misappropriation of $404,268. Hewitt reportedly admitted to the thefts, which occurred over a 6 year period, in order to pay personal bills. Hewitt had been town treasurer for 32 years.

Read FraudTalk's original post on this story here.

Read the story here and here.

Read the Vermont State Police announcement here.

Update (3/12/11): Hewitt reportedly entered into a plea agreement with federal authorities on a wire fraud charge, admitting he embezzled more than $404,000 from the Town of Ira in Vermont. Federal prosecutors allege that Hewitt's thefts began in 1980 and spanned a 30 year period. The case moved from a state to a federal jurisdiction due to the electronic transfers involved and the fact that the federal charge carries a 20 year sentence, instead of a 10 year sentence on the state level. According to the prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Tristram Coffin, Hewitt's scheme was accomplished by "issuing unauthorized checks, drawn on town accounts, to himself and then depositing the checks into personal accounts controlled by him; by misappropriating cash payments made by residents of Ira for town property taxes; and by forgiving without authorization property taxes due and owing to the town."

Update (4/11/11): Hewitt, now 59, formally pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud admitting he embezzled at least $300,000 from the Town of Ira, Vermont, where he had served as treasurer. He faces up to 20 years in prison, plus restitution and fines.

Update (1/19/12): Hewitt, now 60, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison and ordered to about $348,000 in restitution.

Arizona Woman Sentenced In $200K Embezzlement Case

Dawn McGill, 41, of Bouse, Arizona has been sentenced to three months probation after pleading guilty to charges she embezzled some $200,000 from BLH&T Construction and Excavation, LLC, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. According to authorities, McGill misappropriated the funds from the company, owned by her mother Patty Hatch, and her husband, Byron Hatch, who hired her in 2007 and relocated McGill from South Carolina. McGill was indicted on counts of theft and fraudulent schemes and artifices on October 20, 2009 after the Hatch's found discrepancies in their accounts and brought it to the attention of authorities. The nature and methodology of McGill's thefts are undetermined at this time.

Developing...

Read the story here.

Iona College In New York Reports $800K Embezzlement Scheme

Iona College, in New Rochelle, New York, reported that it had fired two unnamed employees after an internal investigation revealed that they had allegedly embezzled some $800,000 from the institution over a ten year period. According to the college, one specific employee had misappropriated about $80,000 in extra compensation over at least 10 years with the help of the second employee. The scheme involved numerous fraudulent "small dollar transactions" including use of a college credit card and the issuance of college checks for their personal benefit. It also reportedly involved the fraudulent submission of phony invoices for payment.

Read the story here.

Update (10/27/10): The unnamed employee in question has been only officially identified as a "nun" who was fired after the revelations came to light. Nevertheless, it coincides with the abrupt departure of Sister Marie E. Thornton, 62, Iona's vice president of finance and it has been reported by media outlets that other Iona officials have confirmed the suspect to be Sister Thornton. Read an updated story here.

Update (12/10/10): Sister Thornton was formally indicted on charges she embezzled what is now believed to be $1.2 million from Iona College, although the college disputes that amount. Sister Thornton reportedly went on gambling junkets to Atlantic City. Read an updated story here and here.

Update (3/10/11): Sister Thornton, now 63, pleaded guilty today.

Update (11/10/11): Sister Thornton was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release with 2,000 hours of community service. 

Comment: Ugh.  Not a very tough sentence.

Tennessee Woman Accused Of Embezzling $4.5 Million; Threw Lavish "Sweet 15" Party For Daughter

Leslie Anne Gibbs, now known as Leslie Anne Janous, 35, of West Knoxville, Tennessee, was arraigned last Friday on 13 counts of wire fraud in connection with her alleged embezzlement of more than $4.5 million from Scancarbon, Inc., a precious metal brokerage firm where she had been employed as a bookkeeper and human resources director. Authorities allege that Janous' scheme spanned at least four years since at least May 2006 until September 2010. The scheme allegedly involved Janous creation of "false gains in accounts payable" which she then allegedly transferred to account she controlled in the name of Lesleigh LLC. Janous came to national attention in 2006 when she and her domestic partner, Leigh M. Janous, 49, threw a lavish "Sweet 15" party for her daughter, Brittany, which was to be showcased on MTV's reality series, "My Sweet 16." Leigh Janous has not been charged at this time as being allegedly complicit in the crime.

We note that Leslie Janous dabbles in photography. Some of the lavishness she has bestowed upon her family at the expense of Scancarbon can be viewed here.

Read the story here and here.

Update (10/20/10): Media reports indicate that Janous had a prior conviction for embezzlement. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, in 2002, Janous, then known as Leslie Anne Gibbs, was arrested for embezzling $38,844 from Elite Landscaping where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. Janous/Gibbs pleaded guilty in June 2004 and agreed to make full restitution. Thanks to letters of support and the restitution, the conviction did not appear in the public record. According to the article, she has transferred the properties she owned to her domestic partner, Leigh Janous, whom she married in 2005 in Provincetown, Mass.

Update (2/24/11): Leslie Anne Janous pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with the embezzlement of more than $4 million from Scancarbon, Inc., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper and HR manager.

Update (10/3/11): Janous is now believed to have embezzled more than $6.6 million, according to prosecutors, who continued to investigate the thefts from Scancarbon, Inc. after her plea agreement last February.  Prosecutors, who are calling Janous a "perpetual liar" want the maximum sentence given of just more than 11 years.  Read an update of the story here.

Update (10/28/11): Janous has been sentenced to 9 years in prison. 

Massachusetts Lawyer, Wife, Accused Of Embezzling $1 Million From Clients

Peter J. Unitt III, 46, and his wife, Lee Peck Unitt, 45, both of Merrimac, Massachusetts, have been charged on multiple counts alleging they misappropriated more than $1 million from clients of Peter Unitt's Woburn-based law firm known as The Crest Group, LLC, where Lee Unitt also was employed as a secretary and paralegal. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of larceny of more than $250, conspiracy to larceny, embezzlement and forgery. According to authorities, the Unitts misappropriated refinanced loans and real estate of their clients. The schemes allegedly occurred between 2006 and 2007.

Read the story here and here.

Read the DA's announcement here.

Florida Woman Charged With Defrauding 2 Banks Out Of Nearly $450K To Support Her Death Row Son

Nazreen Mohammed, 47, of Summerfield, Florida, was charged last week with bank fraud, embezzlement and aggravated identity theft in connection with the alleged misappropriation of nearly $450,000 from two banks where she had recently been employed. According to authorities, Mohammed use her position at Fairwinds Credit Union to steal $127,431 through fraudulent loans and lines of credit in the names of mostly deceased or elderly clients over a period of about three months, from April 17 through July 18, 2009. Authorities also allege that Mohammed embezzled at least an additional $312,581 in a similar manner from the Royal Bank of Canada over a two month period from November 5, 2009, to January 7, 2010. Media reports suggest that Mohammed used some of the ill-gotten gains to help with legal expenses for her son, Dane Abdool, 21, who is currently on death row for burning to death his 17-year-old girlfriend, Amelia Sookdeo in February 2006. Abdool, pictured here, was convicted in 2008 of 1st degree murder by dousing a bound Sookdeo with gasoline and lighting her on fire. Nazreen Mohammed has self published two books about her son's case: The Unfortunate and The Pursuit of Justice. She faces up to 30 years in prison for each felony count.

Read the story here and here.

North Carolina Bank Exec Pleads Guilty To Misappropriating $1 Million In Fraudulent Loans

Karen F. Floyd, 49, of Salisbury, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to charges she misappropriated more than $1 million from Southern Community Bank & Trust, where she had served as a Senior Vice President & Regional Banking Executive. According to authorities, over a 3 1/2 year period, from March 2006 through November 2009. Floyd created at least 11 fraudulent loans made out to "straw" borrowers totalling $1.08 million. She faces up to 30 years in prison, plus fines and restitution on the one count of theft/embezzlement/misapplication by (a) bank officer.

Read the story here.

Former Principal Of California Charter School Charged With Embezzling $1.4 Million

Edward Peter Fiszer, 40, of Newhall, California, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he embezzled more than $1.4 million from the New Academy Canoga Park Charter School, where he had served as principal. According to authorities, in 2008 and 2009, Fiszer obtained at least 12 cashiers checks from school accounts and deposited them into a personal stock trading account. He has been charged with 31 counts of embezzlement, money laundering, forgery and tax fraud. Nevertheless, an audit by the Los Angeles Unified School District found that Fiszer had misappropriated or misused as much as $2.7 million. Sadly, as a result, the school is being considered for closure. Fiszer faces up to 44 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Read the story here.

Update (11/1/10): Fiszer pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he embezzled more than $1.4 million from the New Academy Canoga Park Charter School. He faces up to 44 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty To $414K Bank Embezzlement

Laurine K. Calvert, 55, of Polo, Missouri, pleaded guilty to charges that she misappropriated $414,124 from Bank Northwest, where she had been employed as a teller and bank loan secretary. According to authorities, over a period of 7 years, from February 10, 2003 to February 8, 2010, Calvert misappropriated the funds from at least 5 customer accounts and through at least 4 fraudulent loans she created. Some of the fraudulent loan money was used to repay individual accounts she looted, but the bulk of it was used to enrich herself and her family and to pay for gambling junkets. Read the story here and here. Read the DOJ announcement here. Update (3/31/11): Calvert was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and ordered to pay full restitution.

5 Arrested In Florida For Insurance Fraud Scam

Florida authorities announced the arrest of five individuals, including Donald Alfred Toohey, III, 30, on charges they conspired to defraud Zurich Insurance Group, by creating multiple falsified and fabricated claims in excess of $240,000. Others arrested include Scott J. Kincaid, 44, twin brothers, Brian Frederick Kneifer, 26, Anthony Michal Kneifer, 26, and Tricia Ann Allen, 27. According to authorities, Toohey, pictured here, used his position as a claims adjuster with Zurich to create at least 26 fraudulent claims payable to the co-conspirators. A large portion of those checks were then allegedly kicked back to Toohey. The scam spanned nearly five years, from August 2004 until June 2009 in which a total of $242,657 was misappropriated. The co-conspirators all have pleaded guilty to grand theft charges. Toohey is believed to have received more than $200,000 of the total stolen.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: Reader Joe.

Michigan Woman Sentenced For Embezzling Nearly $1 Million From Ex-Husband's Business

Donna Jean Brown, 58, of Allegan Township, Michigan, was sentenced to 120 days in jail plus 100 hours of community service for embezzling nearly $1 million from Allegan Veterinary Clinic, a local business owned by her ex-husband, William F. Brown. Brown was originally charged in 2009 and pleaded guilty this past September to attempted embezzlement of more than $100,000. Brown reportedly admitted to the theft and has agreed to make restitution of an additional $720,000 she has not already repaid in the form of property she has turned over.

Read the story here.

NY City Property Manager Sentenced To At Least 5 Years For $2.3 Million Misappropriation; Had Prior Criminal History

Richard Allen Bassik, 67, of Long Island, New York, was sentenced to serve at least 5 years in prison for embezzling some $2.3 million from 13 New York properties he managed through a company he owned, Downtown Properties, Inc. According to authorities, Bassik misappropriated the funds, intended for property taxes, operating costs and maintenance, to pay for a lotto addiction as well as to finance a lavish lifestyle. The scheme spanned approximately 5 years from 2004 until 2009 during which time Bassik reportedly would spend as much as $25,000 a month on lotto tickets. He also reportedly used the ill-gotten funds to pay a $400,000 restitution order on behalf of his step-daughter, for an unrelated crime. In 1976, Bassik was convicted of kidnapping a 6 year old boy and demanding a $100,000 ransom. He spent 14 years in prison for that crime.

Read the story here, here and here.

Former University Worker In Virginia Sentenced For Embezzling $144K

Lisa Jones Durham, 40, of Petersburg, Virginia was sentenced yesterday to 3 years in prison for embezzling some $144,000 from Virginia Commonwealth University where she had been employed as a coordinator for a community outreach program. According to authorities, over a three year period, from April 2006 to May 2009, Durham misappropriated from the university program, which provided rent, utility and prescription-drug assistance to chronically and terminally ill patients. Durham pleaded guilty to six counts of embezzlement in late July. Prosecutors alleged she used the misappropriated funds by obtaining checks made out to herself under her maiden name, Lisa Jones, to pay for her own rent and utilities -- including power, water, phone and cable. Durham must also pay full restitution in the amount of $144,040.29.

Read the story here and here.

Wife Of Former New York Municipal Supervisor Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $378K

Randi L. Matthews, 43, of Fairfield, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of grand larceny admitting she embezzled some $378,000 from the City of Fairfield, where she was entrusted to manage the municipality's finances by her husband, Francis Matthews, an elected Supervisor of the town. According to prosecutors, over a three year period, from 2006 to 2009, Randi Matthews issued 347 unauthorized checks to herself or her husband, totalling $377,976. She was originally charged last April with felony counts of grand larceny, 349 counts of forgery and tampering with public records. Authorities believe Randi Matthews then spent the misappropriated monies at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino. She has blamed her actions on a gambling addiction.

Read the story here, here and here.

Update (10/29/10): Matthews was sentenced to 4½ to 13½ years in prison, with credit for about six months of time served. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $377,967.95.

Washington State Real Estate Company Reports $130K Embezzlement

Steadfast Companies, owners of The Commons at Federal Way, reported to authorities and filed a criminal complaint alleging that one of their employees embezzled about $130,000 over serval years time. At this time, no specific details are available.

Read the story here.

Former NYC Bank Exec Pleads Guilty To Embezzling TARP Funds

Charles Antonucci, Sr., 59, of Fishkill, New York, pleaded guilty to charges that he lied to bank regulators and embezzled Troubled Asset Relief Program funds from Park Avenue Bank in New York City where he had served as president. Antonucci, believed to be the first person convicted of trying to defraud TARP, pleaded guilty to felony counts of fraud, bribery, embezzlement and conspiracy. Antonucci admitted with his guilty plea that he lied to get more than $11 million in federal bailout funds for the bank, took bribes and embezzled money and participated in a scheme to defraud Oklahoma insurance regulators in the $37.5 million sale of an insurer that was later forced into receivership. Antonucci was arrested last March and is scheduled to be sentenced in April 2011. As part of his plea deal, Antonucci agreed to pay $11.2 million in restitution.

Read the story here, here and here.

Former California School Administrator Charged With Embezzling $100K From Elementary School

Lisa Ann Castro, 46, of Torrance, California was charged today with embezzling about $100,000 from the Halldale Avenue Elementary School in Torrance and an associated PTA. Castro is a former administrative assistant with the Los Angeles Unified School District under which the school falls. Prosecutors have charged Castro with four felony counts of forgery, three counts of embezzlement and two counts of misappropriation of public funds. Castro is alleged to have forged two principals names and two PTA officials on more than 100 checks over a period of approximately four years, from 2005 until 2009, using the funds for her own benefit. She is reported to have had treasury responsibilities on the two school accounts and two PTA accounts from which she allegedly stole.

Read the story here and here.

Michigan Man Accused Of Embezzling More Than $100K From Soccer Club

Brian Patrick Molloy, 38, of Farmington Hills, Michigan has been arrested and charged with embezzling more than $100,000 from the Livonia City Soccer Club where he had served as co-treasurer. According to authorities, Molloy is suspected of transferring funds out of the club's accounts for his own benefit, either by making physical withdrawals or electronic transfers into his own accounts. It is believed that the thefts began after Livonia City Soccer Club merged with the Livonia Meteors Soccer Club in mid-2008 and have continued for the past two years.

Read the story here, here and here.

Update (1/9/11): Molloy pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of more than $20,000. As part of his plea agreement, Molloy paid $87,000 in restitution to the Livonia City Soccer Club. According to reports, the embezzlement was discovered when club officials found suspicious activity involving bank accounts, discovered as part of a routine examination of club bank statements.

Former Union Financial Secretary In Florida To Plead Guilty In $1.2 Million Embezzlement Case

Carolyn Sue Alderman-Connon, 45, of Palm Coast, Florida is expected to plead guilty to charges she embezzled more than $1.2 million from the Southeast Area Joint Apprenticeship Program of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders and Blacksmith Builders, where she had been employed as a financial secretary. According to prosecutors, Alderman-Connon "routinely, and without permission or authorization" transferred funds to accounts she could then write checks from to herself or fictitious payees. It is unclear how long the scheme lasted. Specifically, she plead guilty to two counts of embezzlement from an employee benefit plan and faces up to five years in prison for each count.

Read the story here.

Update (3/25/11): Alderman-Connon, now 46, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for embezzling $1.28 million from a union apprenticeship program.

Catholic Priest In Ohio, "Father Sam," Admits To Embezzling $1.2 Million

The Rev. Samuel Ciccolini, aka Father Sam, 68, of Akron, Ohio, admitted to embezzling about $1.2 million from Interval Brotherhood Home Foundation, a non-profit he founded and ran since 1970. According to authorities, over a period of at least four years, from 2002 through 2006, Ciccolini engaged in an "elaborate subterfuge" by submitting fraudulent invoices purportedly for construction work and equipment that had been donated and receiving reimbursement. He then allegedly falsified records to cover up the fraud. Ciccolini has already reportedly paid back the misappropriated funds. He is due to be sentenced this Friday on felony charges of bank fraud and tax fraud.

Read the story here, here and here.

French Rogue Trader, Jerome Kerviel, Convicted On All Counts; Must Pay $US6.7 Billion In Restitution

Former Societe General, SA trader, Jerome Kerviel, 33, of France, was convicted on all counts, including forgery, breach of trust and unauthorized computer use, for his role in what is described as "history's biggest rogue trading scandal." Kerviel was sentenced to 3 years in prison and also ordered to pay restitution to Societe General in the amount of 4.9 billion euros ($6.7 billion). Kerviel was originally arrested in January 2008 for covering up trading bets worth nearly euro50 billion between late 2007 and early 2008. The magnitude of Kerviel's rogue trading loss eclipse those of Barings Bank's Nick Leeson in Singapore ($1.3 billion in 1995) and Sumitomo's Yasuo Hamanaka in Tokyo ($2.6 billion in 1996).

Read the story here, here and here.

Nevada Man Gets Probation In $233K Embezzlement Case

Jason Robert Taylor, 39, of Carson City, Nevada, was sentenced to a suspended prison term but must also serve five years probation for embezzling $233,057 from Briggs Electric, where he had been employed as company controller. Authorities had alleged that over a period of nearly four years, from January 2005 through December 2008, Taylor misappropriated company funds to make car payments, student loan payments and home improvements, and other unapproved purchases for the benefit of himself and his friends. Reports suggest that Taylor may also have stolen the money to fund his struggling restaurant, Deli Francesco. Taylor, who was originally arrested last March, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one count of fraudulent use of a credit card.

Read the story here and here.

Mississippi Woman Accused Of Embezzling $195K From Casino

Diana Lynette Varnado, 39, of Gulfport, Mississippi was arrested today and charged with embezzling $195,803 from the Beau Rivage casino, where she had been employed as manager of risk-management claims. Authorities believe Varnado's scheme has spanned at least two years, commencing in 2008.

Read the story here, here and here .

Pennsylvania Tax Preparer Sentenced For Misappropriating $300,000 From Client Retirement Accounts

Keith M. Getty, 44, of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for embezzling some $300,000 in retirement and tax funds from 23 clients of his firm, Century Small Business Solutions in Lemoyne, PA. Getty pleaded guilty last November to the thefts which occurred between January and September 2004, according to reports. Getty's accounting licesned was revoked in 2006 because he "engaged in conduct that brings the profession of public accounting into disrepute..."

Read the story here and here.

Massachusetts Woman Found Guilty Of Embezzling $752K

Cynthia Goldberg, aka Cynthia Kussy, aka Cynthia McDonnell, 47, of Westborough, Massachusetts, was found guilty Friday in a bench trial of embezzling $752,245 from FSL Associates, an environmental engineering firm located in Brighton, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. Goldberg was indicted on 20 felony counts including 10 counts of larceny, five counts of making false entries into corporate books, and five counts of misuse of a credit card. According to authorities, Goldberg's thefts spanned approximately 5 years from 2002 until she was fired in 2007. Goldberg obtained three credit cards in the company name and its CEO and made numerous fraudulent purchases of goods from such retail stores and other personal expenses, such as PETCO, Victoria's Secret, Banana Republic, Wolfer's Lighting, the Ritz Carlton hotel and several area tanning salons and limousine companies.

Read the story here, here and here.

Watch a video on the story here.

Read the Suffolk County D.A.'s office announcement of her indictment here.

Former Cashier At Alabama Community College Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement Scheme

Janet Adams Bobo, 55, of Fayette, Alabama, has reach a plea agreement with authorities to plea guilty to charges she embezzled monies from Bevill State Community College where she had been employed as a cashier. Bobo plead guilty to the lesser charge of embezzlement of up to $20,000 whereas the state audit showed she had actually embezzled $113,763 over a three and a half year period from October 1, 2004 through May 23, 2008.

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Former Town Selectman In Massachusetts Pleads Not Guilty To Charges She Embezzled $280K From Employer

Carole Ann Makary, 56, of Lowell, Massachusetts plead not guilty to criminal charges she embezzled some $280,000 from Maerkisches Werk of North America, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper. Makary is also a former Selectman in the Town of Stow, Massachusetts. Makary previously pleaded not guilty to charges she embezzled more than $20,000 from Stow Boy Scout Troop 1 where she had served as treasurer and $7,000 from another local youth group. Makary was indicted on September 20 in which she was alleged to have altered payee information on Maerkisches checks and depositing them into her own accounts. She is also alleged to have made unauthorized charged on company credit cards for her own benefit. The alleged misappropriations spanned about 3 1/2 years, from July 2005 through February 2009. The indictment includes three counts of larceny over $250 and one count of falsifying financial records. Maerkisches had originally filed a civil recovery suit against Makary and her husband, Mark K. Makary, 52, alleging she misappropriated from the company and deposited the funds into their joint account, thereby benefiting her husband.

Read the story here, here, here and here.

Update (2/18/11): Makary has now pleaded guilty to three counts of larceny of more than $250 by a common scheme, as well as one count of falsifying or omitting financial records. She was sentenced to two years probation, 250 hours of community service and must make full restitution.

Deputy Treasurer In Ohio County Suspected In $150K Embezzlement

The Ohio State Auditor's Office released an audit report about its findings in the case involving Erie County's former deputy treasurer, Tamara J. Holeton, 41, of Sandusky, Ohio, who plead guilty this past August on charges she misappropriated $146,592 in funds that were meant to be deposited into county coffers. Holeton plead guilty to theft in office and record tampering charges. The audit report made 7 specific management recommendations to improve controls. According to reports, Holeton misappropriated the funds over a five year period from 2005 until 2010.

Read the story here and here.

Read the audit report here.