Thursday, June 21, 2012

Former California School Superintendent Accused Of Embezzling More Than $100K

Timothy L. Hanretty
Timothy L. Hanretty, 55, of Woodside, California, has been charged with embezzling nearly $101,000 from the Portola Valley School District where he had served as superintendent.  According to authorities, Hanretty misappropriated the funds which had been earmarked to install solar panels on two schools, to make improvements on his own home, by submitting fraudulent invoices for reimbursement.  Hanretty is also facing felony charges related to his prior employment at Woodside Elementary School

Read the story here and here.

Update (8/1/12): Hanretty, pleaded no contest to six felony charges admitting he embezzled $101,000 from the Portola Valley School District.

Update (10/22/12): Hanretty was sentenced to 2 years in prison and ordered to pay full restitution plus court costs totaling more than $180,000.

Former Municipal Librarian In New York Sentenced For Embezzling $163K

Margo Reed, 54, of Yonkers, New York, has been sentenced to six months in jail for embezzling more than $163,000 from three public library branches in Yonkers where she had worked.  According to authorities, over a period of about 6 1/2 years, from July 7, 2004, to Dec. 7, 2010, Reed misappropriated library fine payments.  Reed pleaded guilty last February to felony charges of grand larceny and filing false tax returns.  Reed has blamed her actions in part to a gambling addiction. 

Read the story here.

Nebraska Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $101K From Bank

Christina D. Srack, 30, of Kearney, Iowa, has been sentenced to house arrest for embezzling $101,000 from the State Bank of Riverdale where she had been employed. Prosecutors had alleged that from July 2007 until August 2008, Srack forged three checks and made two unauthorized electronic payments for her own benefit.  She plead guilty last March to theft/embezzlement by a bank employee of $101,238.18.  Srack was ordered to serve one day in federal custody, followed by six months of house arrest, plus five years of supervised release, and to pay $2,097.18.

Read the story here.

Former Office Manager Of Auto Dealership In Iowa Accused Of Embezzling $1.4 Million

Ralph L. Schippers, believed to be 57, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa has been accused in a civil lawsuit of embezzling more than $1.4 million from Granger Motors, where he had been employed as office manager.  According to the lawsuit, filed by Granger owner Tim Westrum, Schippers transferred funds to himself via corporate accounts and the payroll system for his own benefit over a period of at least 12 years, beginning in or about 2000 and continuing through until May 2012.

Read the story here

Suspended Rhode Island Attorney Charged With Embezzling Nearly $500K

Patrick M. Allienello, 48, of Narragansett, Rhode Island has been charged with embezzling nearly half a million dollars from client funds for real estate closings he handled as an attorney.  Allienello has been charged with unlawful appropriation and embezzlement.  Allienello reportedly had his law license suspended in 2010 on ethics charges as well as domestic assault and domestic disorderly conduct accusations.

Read the story here.

North Carolina Business Reports $313K Embezzlement

Morehead Associates Inc., a Dilworth, North Carolina-based health care consulting firm has reported to local authorities that an unnamed employee embezzled more than $313,000 from the company.  An investigation has been commenced.

Developing...

Read the story here.

University Business Manager In Georgia Guilty Of Embezzling Nearly $220K

Rebecca Adams Hill, 56, of Athens, Georgia, has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges admitting she embezzled nearly $220,000 from the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, where she had been employed as a business manager.  According to authorities, over a period of about four and a half years, from March 2005 through September 2009, Hill abused the university's reimbursement system by submitting fraudulent expenses for supplies purportedly purchased with personal funds.  Hill was sentenced to 20 years in prison which was suspended due to her wheelchair bound condition and also ordered to pay  $219,795.69 in restitution.  Hill had reportedly worked for the university for 30 years.

Read the story here and here.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Former High School Secretary In Alaska Faces New Charges She Embezzled $100K

Gayle M. White, 44, of Wasilla, Alaska, who is already facing charges she embezzled from Chugiak High School is now facing new charges she embezzled more than $100,000 from East High School where she was previously employed as school activities secretary.  According to authorities, over a period of about 3 years, from 2006 to 2009, White pocketed funds paid by students for participation in various activities.  She had already been charged with, found guilty and sentenced to probation for embezzling about $5,000 from Chugiak High School utilizing a similar scheme.

Read the story here.

Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $108K From Banking Client Accounts

Tammy Lumbard
Tammy Lynn Lumbard, 36, of Allegan, Michigan has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $108,000 from bank customer accounts at Huntington Bank in Kalamazoo where she had been employed as a teller.  According to authorities, Lumbard simply pocketed cash from the customer accounts over a 2 year period from 2010 through 2011.  As part of her plea agreement, Lumbard will also have to make full restitution.

Read the story here and here.

Update (10/2/12): Lumbard was sentenced to 1 year and a day in jail and ordered to pay full restitution.

Former Municipal Treasurer In Virginia Indicted For Allegedly Embezzling "About Six Figures"

Wanda Gibson Smith, 61, of Buchanan, Virginia has been indicted on 12 felony counts alleging that she embezzled "about six figures" from the Town of Buchanan where she had been the longtime treasurer.  According to prosecutors, over an unspecified number of years, Smith siphoned funds from the municipality for her own benefit.  Smith was fired last January after she was charged the prior month. 

Developing...

Read the story here.

Update (7/5/12): Smith has pleaded guilty to the 12 felony embezzlement charges.  Smith had served as the town treasurer for some 30 years.

Update (8/10/12): Smith has been sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $145,000 in restitution. 

Louisiana Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling At Least $350K From Medical Lab

Linda Deselle, 59, of Alexandria, Louisiana, has pleaded gulity to charges she embezzled at least $350,000 from the now defunct Alexandria Pathology Laboratory where she had been employed as office manager.  Deselle, who was indicted last November on 10 wire fraud counts reached a plea agreement to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud.  As part of the plea agreement, Deselle agreed to make full restitution.  She is believed to have siphoned the funds from the medical lab over a period of several years.

Read the story here and here.

Update (9/12/12): Deselle was sentenced to 27 months in prison for embezzling more than $350,000 over a 4 1/2 year period.  Her former employer believes the thefts were closer to totaling $600,000.

Maryland Man Indicted For Allegedly Embezzling $885K; Spends It On Phone Sex & Prostitutes

Mark Chandler Goodnow, 55 of Pasadena, Maryland, has been indicted on charges he embezzled more than $885,000 from Wings To Go, a fast food franchise where he was CEO.  According to authorities, over a period of about 3 1/2 years, from September 2006 through January 2011, Goodnow caused checks to be written from company coffers to pay in part for for prostitutes and phone sex operators.  He has been charged with wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Read the story here and here.

Update (7/23/12): Goodnow has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2012.

Update (10/11/12): Goodnow was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Trial Set For New Hampshire Man Accused Of Embezzling $104K From Fish & Game Club

Alan Colby, 51, of Brentwood, New Hampshire, who has been indicted on charges he embezzled more than $104,000  from the Plaistow Fish and Game Club where he had served as treasurer, is scheduled to go on trial on October 22, 2012.  According to authorities, over a period of 2 years, from July 21, 2008 until July 9, 2010, Colby made at least 60 electronic transfers from the club's accounts into a bank account for his construction company, Senter Brothers Inc.  Colby faces up to 15 years in prison on each state charge if convicted.

Read the story here and here.

Update (1/8/13): Colby was found guilty of embezzling a net $104,000 from the non-profit Plaistow Fish and Game Club.  Colby actually stole about $200,000, but returned more than $91,000 during the period of his thefts.  He faces from 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison.

Update (3/8/13): Colby was sentenced to one year in jail.

Wyoming Man Accused Of Embezzling More Than $2.5 Million

Gerald Anderson
Gerald "Gary" Emil Anderson Jr., 54, of Wyoming has been accused of embezzling more than $2.5 million from Star-Tech Inc. and Precision Analysis where he had been employed as finance manager.  According to authorities, over a period of about 10 years, from 2000 through 2010, Anderson funnelled funds from the company to himself and members of his family.  He has been charged with four counts of felony larceny, three charges of obtaining goods by false pretenses, and two counts of conspiracy to commit felony larceny.   Anderson reportedly created records to indicate that the company owed him funds he was not entitled to. 

Read the story here and here.

Update (4/11/13): Anderson, now 55, has been sentenced to 6 to 10 years in prison.  He was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution.  Read an update of the story here.

Upstate New York Man Accused Of Embezzling $1.1 Million

Gary Yakawiak, 46, of Irondequoit, New York has been accused of embezzling some $1.1 million from Cascades Recovery Incorporated, a local recycling company where he had been employed as accounting manager.  According to authorities, over a period of about 3 1/2 years, from August 2007 to February 2011, Yakawiak transferred funds from company to himself and others for his own benefit.  Yakawiak reportedly confessed that he spent some of the stolen money on personal expenses and operating expenses for a bar he co-owned.  He also reportedly spent some on lavish trips to Las Vegas with his then girlfriend, Blanca Vigil

Read the story here and here.

Update (6/28/12): Yakawiak was found dead at his home in an apparent suicide.

Alabama Woman Indicted For Allegedly Embezzling $239K From Credit Union

April Mayfield McLemore, 30, of Guin, Alabama has been indicted on charges she allegedly embezzled $239,000 from Listerhill Credit Union where she had been employed.  According to authorities, over a period of nearly 5 years, from  May 2006 to March 2011, McLemore siphoned funds from the credit union. 

Developing...

Read the story here.