From The Review on 2/15/14:
A local woman was taken into custody Friday by the Wheeling office of the FBI in relation to an embezzlement case at Bethany College in West Virginia.
Charged with extortion, Rachelle Weese, 26, was escorted to a waiting FBI vehicle outside her Cricket Lane home by St. Clair Township police Chief Don Hyatt after FBI and township officers converged on the house in the early afternoon.
According to William J. Ihlenfeld II, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, the federal extortion charge is a felony and alleges Weese used violence or fear to extort money from Shelly Lough, West Liberty, former manager of the cashier's office at the college.
The criminal complaint against Weese alleges she threatened to reveal to Lough's husband that Lough was in a relationship outside her marriage if she did not pay money.
Although original reports last October indicated the amount allegedly taken by Lough to be about $500,000, Ihlenfeld said Friday it now appears the amount may have been more than $1 million.
...
Read the whole story here.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Washington State Tribal Employee Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $115K From Child Welfare Department
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on 2/14/14:
A Suquamish tribal employee pleaded guilty in federal court in Tacoma on Friday to embezzlement from an tribal organization after siphoning more than $115,000 in checks and food vouchers from the tribe's child welfare department.
Renee Pearl Peleti was the employee responsible for distributing checks to Indian Child Welfare Department (ICW) clients and had the ability to request checks from the tribe's financial office and manipulate the amounts, according to the court complaint.
The ICW assists tribal families and children with food, clothing and school supplies.
Detectives believe Peleti wrote herself about 261 checks totaling $88,747 and paid $2,893 in fraudulent checks to her personal Puget Sound Energy account, court records indicate.
...
Read the whole story here.
A Suquamish tribal employee pleaded guilty in federal court in Tacoma on Friday to embezzlement from an tribal organization after siphoning more than $115,000 in checks and food vouchers from the tribe's child welfare department.
Renee Pearl Peleti was the employee responsible for distributing checks to Indian Child Welfare Department (ICW) clients and had the ability to request checks from the tribe's financial office and manipulate the amounts, according to the court complaint.
The ICW assists tribal families and children with food, clothing and school supplies.
Detectives believe Peleti wrote herself about 261 checks totaling $88,747 and paid $2,893 in fraudulent checks to her personal Puget Sound Energy account, court records indicate.
...
Read the whole story here.
Tennessee Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $200K From Union
From the Lebanon-Democrat on 2/14/14:
An executive secretary for a union told investigators she stole more than $200,000 from the organization to lift her spirits, according to federal court records.
An executive secretary for a union told investigators she stole more than $200,000 from the organization to lift her spirits, according to federal court records.
Reda Overton has struck a deal to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Tennessee to charges of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets.
According to the plea agreement, Overton stole just more than $206,000 from the Locomotive Engineers International Brotherhood of Teamsters General Committee of Adjustments, a labor union whose members include employees of Norfolk Southern Railway.
Overton worked as an executive secretary for the union, although the plea agreement does not indicate where in East Tennessee her office was located. Her thievery, according to records, spanned more than three years – from December 2008 to March 2012.
The plea agreement states Overton stole from the union by overpaying herself, transferring thousands of dollars at a time to her personal bank account.
...
Read the whole story here.
Update (11/11/2014): Overton has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
South Carolina Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $130K From Auto Dealership
From the Jasper County Sun:
A former employee of a group of local car dealerships was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday, for embezzling more than $130,000 over a three-year period, according to the 14th Judicial Circuit. Jessica Goodman, 33, of Garnett, pleaded guilty to one count of breach of trust over $10,000. Judge Carmen Mullen sentenced her to the prison time to be followed by five years of probation and the repayment of $133,064.
Goodman, who worked in the accounting department of the New River Auto Mall, stole the money between October 2009 and October 2012. The money was traced to her bank account at Wells Fargo in Bluffton.
...
Read the story here.
A former employee of a group of local car dealerships was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday, for embezzling more than $130,000 over a three-year period, according to the 14th Judicial Circuit. Jessica Goodman, 33, of Garnett, pleaded guilty to one count of breach of trust over $10,000. Judge Carmen Mullen sentenced her to the prison time to be followed by five years of probation and the repayment of $133,064.
Goodman, who worked in the accounting department of the New River Auto Mall, stole the money between October 2009 and October 2012. The money was traced to her bank account at Wells Fargo in Bluffton.
...
Read the story here.
Former Head Of California Non-Profit Charged With Embezzling $140K
From the LA Times on 2/13/14:
The former executive director of a foundation set up to help needy students at Los Angeles Trade Technical College was arrested Thursday on suspicion of embezzlement.
The former executive director of a foundation set up to help needy students at Los Angeles Trade Technical College was arrested Thursday on suspicion of embezzlement.
Jiah Rhea Chung, 43, was arrested by investigators with the Los Angeles County district attorney's office on suspicion of public corruption, including embezzling nearly $140,000 while she served as the foundation's director, according to district attorney's officials.
...
Read the whole story here.
...
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Former CFO Charged With Embezzling $600K From Missouri Heathcare Concern
From WAND 17 on 2/13/14:
A southwestern Illinois woman who served as an executive of a business that provides visiting nurses and hospice services for Missouri and Illinois patients is accused of embezzling about $600,000 for personal use.
A federal grand jury in St. Louis has charged 49-year-old Susan Winebarger of Highland, Ill., with two counts of wire fraud.
Authorities say Winebarger was a chief financial officer and later chief executive of VNA-TIP of Bridgeton, Mo.
Investigators allege that from January 2008 and last December, she issued checks to herself from company accounts and hid the embezzlement by altering bank statements and internal financial reports.
...
Read the story here.
A southwestern Illinois woman who served as an executive of a business that provides visiting nurses and hospice services for Missouri and Illinois patients is accused of embezzling about $600,000 for personal use.
A federal grand jury in St. Louis has charged 49-year-old Susan Winebarger of Highland, Ill., with two counts of wire fraud.
Authorities say Winebarger was a chief financial officer and later chief executive of VNA-TIP of Bridgeton, Mo.
Investigators allege that from January 2008 and last December, she issued checks to herself from company accounts and hid the embezzlement by altering bank statements and internal financial reports.
...
Read the story here.
Massachusetts Man, Previously Charged With Animal Cruelty, Now Charged With Embezzling $130K From Elderly Woman
From UPI on 2/12/14:
A Polish immigrant in Massachusetts charged with abusing the dog known as "Puppy Doe" has been charged with stealing from the elderly woman he cared for.
Bail was set at $500,000 on the new charges Tuesday for Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, the Boston Herald reported. Czerkawski, allegedly in the United States illegally, was already held without bail on 12 counts of animal cruelty. ... Czerkawski lived with Janina Stock, 95, in Quincy, Mass., from January to her death in August, investigators say. Her family hired him because he spoke Polish and paid him $1,500 a month. Prosecutors say that in March Czerkawski took Stock to the bank, claimed to be her grandson and arranged for $130,000 in assets to be placed in a joint account.
...
Read the story here.
A Polish immigrant in Massachusetts charged with abusing the dog known as "Puppy Doe" has been charged with stealing from the elderly woman he cared for.
Bail was set at $500,000 on the new charges Tuesday for Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, the Boston Herald reported. Czerkawski, allegedly in the United States illegally, was already held without bail on 12 counts of animal cruelty. ... Czerkawski lived with Janina Stock, 95, in Quincy, Mass., from January to her death in August, investigators say. Her family hired him because he spoke Polish and paid him $1,500 a month. Prosecutors say that in March Czerkawski took Stock to the bank, claimed to be her grandson and arranged for $130,000 in assets to be placed in a joint account.
...
Read the story here.
Pennsylvania Couple Charged With Embezzling $150K From Local Electric Company; Kept Stealing To Repay Initial Theft After Being Caught
From the Daily Local News on 2/11/14:
Two people were arrested last week at the conclusion of an investigation into the alleged embezzlement and theft of about $150,000 from an area electric company.
According to the West Goshen Police Department, in October detectives began investigating a case of suspected fraud at Alfred J. Fry III, Inc., or Fry Electric, that involved substantial embezzlement of company funds and thefts of company-owned tools.
Police said the company’s former office manager and accountant, 45-year-old Stephanie Matusky, submitted fictitious receipts on behalf of her fiance, 38-year-old Edward Charsha, who worked at the company as a mechanic. Both Matusky and Charsha live in the 4900 block of Horseshoe Pike in Caln.
...
After the thefts were discovered, the couple was allowed to keep their jobs under the condition that they repay the misappropriated funds back to the company, according to police.
When Matusky and Charsha began to repay at a suspicious rate, the company began to examine computer and email records that revealed Charsha was selling large amounts of electrical construction equipment on online auction sites. Police said that when the company’s president confronted Charsha about the missing equipment he admitted to stealing and selling the items to repay the initial debt.
At that point Charsha and Matusky were both fired, police said.
...
Read the whole story here.
Two people were arrested last week at the conclusion of an investigation into the alleged embezzlement and theft of about $150,000 from an area electric company.
According to the West Goshen Police Department, in October detectives began investigating a case of suspected fraud at Alfred J. Fry III, Inc., or Fry Electric, that involved substantial embezzlement of company funds and thefts of company-owned tools.
Police said the company’s former office manager and accountant, 45-year-old Stephanie Matusky, submitted fictitious receipts on behalf of her fiance, 38-year-old Edward Charsha, who worked at the company as a mechanic. Both Matusky and Charsha live in the 4900 block of Horseshoe Pike in Caln.
...
After the thefts were discovered, the couple was allowed to keep their jobs under the condition that they repay the misappropriated funds back to the company, according to police.
When Matusky and Charsha began to repay at a suspicious rate, the company began to examine computer and email records that revealed Charsha was selling large amounts of electrical construction equipment on online auction sites. Police said that when the company’s president confronted Charsha about the missing equipment he admitted to stealing and selling the items to repay the initial debt.
At that point Charsha and Matusky were both fired, police said.
...
Read the whole story here.
Former Ohio Cop Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $250K In Government Property
From WBNS-10TV on 2/12/14:
A former Columbus Police Officer has pleaded guilty to selling equipment the department received through a government program.
Steven Edward Dean, 49, pleaded to misappropriating and selling heavy equipment and other property that the police received through a Defense Department surplus program.
An investigation revealed that Dean embezzled heavy equipment, construction vehicles, and restaurant equipment. He then sold the items online or for scrap metal.
Dean pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds and one count of theft of public property. Each crime carries a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment.
...
Read the whole story here.
A former Columbus Police Officer has pleaded guilty to selling equipment the department received through a government program.
Steven Edward Dean, 49, pleaded to misappropriating and selling heavy equipment and other property that the police received through a Defense Department surplus program.
An investigation revealed that Dean embezzled heavy equipment, construction vehicles, and restaurant equipment. He then sold the items online or for scrap metal.
Dean pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a program receiving federal funds and one count of theft of public property. Each crime carries a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment.
...
Read the whole story here.
Indiana Woman Sentenced For Embezzling $178K From Her Employer
From the Associated Press on 2/12/14:
A former administrative assistant for a Boonville, Ind., company was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for embezzling $149,000 from her employer.
Cindy L. McDaniel, 42, of Boonville, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing false tax return charges.
She appeared in U.S. District Court at Evansville where Chief Judge Richard L. Young sentenced her to 21 months in prison and ordered her to repay more than $178,000 to Concrete Pavers, Inc. and the Internal Revenue Service, according to court officials.
McDaniel worked as bookkeeper and office manager for the company. She used pass codes that she acquired from a password generating device issued by Regions Bank to access and transfer funds belonging to her employer into her personal bank account, according to court records.
The transfers happened between June 1, 2009, and July 4, 2011, and the company had deposited the money in Regions Bank in order to pay employee withholding taxes, court records said.
...
Read the whole story here.
A former administrative assistant for a Boonville, Ind., company was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for embezzling $149,000 from her employer.
Cindy L. McDaniel, 42, of Boonville, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing false tax return charges.
She appeared in U.S. District Court at Evansville where Chief Judge Richard L. Young sentenced her to 21 months in prison and ordered her to repay more than $178,000 to Concrete Pavers, Inc. and the Internal Revenue Service, according to court officials.
McDaniel worked as bookkeeper and office manager for the company. She used pass codes that she acquired from a password generating device issued by Regions Bank to access and transfer funds belonging to her employer into her personal bank account, according to court records.
The transfers happened between June 1, 2009, and July 4, 2011, and the company had deposited the money in Regions Bank in order to pay employee withholding taxes, court records said.
...
Read the whole story here.
California Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Some $450K In Public Funds From Foster Care Agency She Ran
From the Temecula Patch on 2/11/14:
Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The former owner and CEO of a Riverside foster family agency pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzlement and was immediately sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Benn, who ran Family Hope Foster Family Agency, also admitted to a sentence-enhancing allegation of committing multiple felonies in the taking of more than $100,000 and less than $500,000, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
One count Benn pleaded guilty to is for embezzlement from 2004 to 2009 and the second count is for crimes from 2010 to 2012. Two other counts were dismissed as part of the plea deal. Both sides also agreed to a restitution amount of $450,000, according to the District Attorney's Office.
...
Read the whole story here.
Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The former owner and CEO of a Riverside foster family agency pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzlement and was immediately sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Benn, who ran Family Hope Foster Family Agency, also admitted to a sentence-enhancing allegation of committing multiple felonies in the taking of more than $100,000 and less than $500,000, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.
One count Benn pleaded guilty to is for embezzlement from 2004 to 2009 and the second count is for crimes from 2010 to 2012. Two other counts were dismissed as part of the plea deal. Both sides also agreed to a restitution amount of $450,000, according to the District Attorney's Office.
...
Read the whole story here.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Former Cemetary Manager In New York Charged With Embezzling $2 Million; Prior Manager Embezzled $850K
From the Wall Street Journal on 2/10/14:
Update (2/6/2015): Griffin plead guilty to the embezzlement charges. Read an update of the story here.
New York's attorney general has accused the former acting president of the nonprofit United Hebrew Cemetery on Staten Island of embezzling $2 million.
Authorities allege 54-year-old Timothy Griffin of Ridgefield, Conn., made six unauthorized wire transfers to his own attorney escrow account from October 2012 through last month.
Griffin pleaded not guilty to grand larceny charges Monday in state court. Bail was set at $250,000 cash.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says Griffin, former outside counsel to the cemetery, was appointed acting president after its former administrator and president were accused of embezzling more than $850,000 in a prior investigation by his office.
...Read the story here.
Update (2/6/2015): Griffin plead guilty to the embezzlement charges. Read an update of the story here.
Monday, February 10, 2014
New Mexico Man Sentenced To 5+ Years For Embezzling $500+K
From the Associated Press on 2/7/14:
A 32-year-old man from southeastern New Mexico has been sentenced to just over five years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of nearly $502,000 on convictions for fraud and identity theft.
Roger Baeza of Jal (was charged in October 2012 with 81 counts accusing him of defrauding two businesses that employed him as an accountant.
He pleaded guilty in June, admitting he embezzled money, misused a company credit card and wrong himself a $5,000 check, all during 2012.
...Read the story here.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced To 25 Months In Prison For Embezzling $780K
From TribLIVE.com on 1/7/14:
Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.
A Richland man will spend two years and one month in prison for embezzling more than $718,000 from his company's pension plan over several years, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Merrill J. Druggs, 67, pleaded guilty in October to making false statements and concealing information on pension plan documents. He was a tax manager for Oerlikon USA Holding Inc. of Export, a subsidiary of Swiss conglomerate Oerlikon Group, and a trustee for a pension plan covering about 1,400 people, prosecutors say.
...Read the story here.
Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe.
Pennsylvania Man To Be Sentenced For Embezzling $100K From Charter School & Non-Profit; Continued To Steal While Under Investigation
From the Philadelphia Inquirer on 2/10/14:
Read the whole story here.
One question will take center stage Monday when Masai Skief is sentenced for embezzling from the charter school he ran: Did he forfeit a chance at a lower sentence by continuing to steal money from the school - even after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud?
Skief, 32, son of the late founder of the Harambee Institute of Science Technology Charter School, pleaded guilty in federal court in August to embezzling $88,000 from the charter and from the Harambee Institute, a related nonprofit. He is the eighth Philadelphia charter school official to plead guilty to federal fraud charges.
Skief has been in federal custody since Jan. 16, when he turned himself in after admitting he violated terms of his bail by continuing to steal from Harambee.
In a court filing, prosecutors said that because of the "audacious and repeated nature" of Skief's fraud, they were seeking a sentence of at least 37 months in prison instead of the 21 to 27 months they originally recommended.
...
Read the whole story here.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling $141K
From the Charlevoix Courier on 2/8/14:
A Charlevoix woman pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling more than $140,000 from her former employer.
In a plea deal with the Charlevoix County Prosecutor’s Office, Heather Marie Webb, 33, pleaded guilty in the 33rd Circuit Court to stealing between $50,000 to $100,000 from her job. The felony — with a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison — was a reduction from the original charge of embezzling more than $100,000. The original charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
...
Read the whole story here.
Update (2/28/14): Webb was sentenced to 1 year in prison and order to pay $141,587 to her former employer, NuCore North.
A Charlevoix woman pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling more than $140,000 from her former employer.
In a plea deal with the Charlevoix County Prosecutor’s Office, Heather Marie Webb, 33, pleaded guilty in the 33rd Circuit Court to stealing between $50,000 to $100,000 from her job. The felony — with a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison — was a reduction from the original charge of embezzling more than $100,000. The original charge carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
...
Read the whole story here.
Update (2/28/14): Webb was sentenced to 1 year in prison and order to pay $141,587 to her former employer, NuCore North.
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