Former Alpharetta Office Manager Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Embezzlement
Embezzlement is a term used to describe the intentional misappropriation of funds entrusted by one person to another. While embezzlement is a non-violent crime, it is still prosecuted quite harshly, especially at the federal level. Indeed, it is possible to receive a decades-long sentence in federal prison for embezzlement.
Prosecutors: Defendant Stole Over $8.5 Million from Employer
Even when the sentence is not 20 or 30 years, an embezzlement conviction can still destroy your life. Consider this recent case from right here in Georgia. In November 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office in Atlanta charged a 60-year-old woman with wire fraud in connection with the alleged embezzlement of over $8.5 million.
Like many embezzlement cases, the defendant here was charged with stealing from her own employer. According to federal prosecutors, the defendant worked for an Alpharetta-area yard care company for a period of approximately five years, from between 2015 and 2020. She was the company’s office manager and executive assistant.
The government alleged that the defendant used her employer’s credit card to pay for personal expenses. She then concealed her actions by approving the charges herself and failing to provide supporting documentation to her employer. Altogether, prosecutors said the defendant embezzled $8,614,729.37.
Prosecutors identified a laundry list of items purchased with the stolen funds, including the wedding of the defendants daughter, season tickets for the University of Tennessee football team, a $100,000 recreational vehicle, and over $60,000 in designer handbags and other goods at Saks Fifth Avenue. The defendant also converted about $1 million in company funds through various online payment processors such as Paypal.
The defendant pleaded guilty to a single count of federal wire fraud. On April 8, 2024, U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert sentenced the defendant to six years in prison. Following release, the defendant will spend an additional three years on supervised release (federal probation). She must also pay full restitution to her former employer.
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One thing to note here is that a criminal restitution order does not go away simply because the defendant no longer has the money to pay it. In the case above, for instance, the defendant must repay her ex-employer over $8.5 million. That debt cannot be discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy like a civil judgment. So it can literally be held over your head for the rest of your life.
This is just one of many consequences people face if convicted of a white collar crime like embezzlement. So if you are under investigation for, or have been formally charged with, any kind of criminal fraud, you must be prepared to aggressively defend yourself in court. Your first call should be to an experienced Atlanta embezzlement lawyer. Contact Hawkins Spizman Trial Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation. We serve clients throughout Georgia including Atlanta, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.
Source:
justice.gov/usao-ndga/pr/former-office-manager-sentenced-federal-prison-embezzling-over-85-million
