
Your Naughty Corporate Controller of the Day
Gerard Beauzile is facing a potentially lengthy stay in federal prison after he was charged with embezzlement earlier today for thinking no one would notice $2.3 million missing from the unnamed New York-based company where he had been the controller since 2001. Beauzile, 61, a resident of South Plainfield, NJ, appeared by videoconference on Monday […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Old Guy Decided Stealing a Sh*t-Ton of Money Would Be the Best Way of Getting Back At His Bosses For Downsizing
Eighty-year-old Charles Esposito of Hainesport, NJ, who worked as an accounting manager for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope for 45 years, was sentenced to five years in state prison on June 9 after admitting to stealing $2.5 million from his former employer, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy said during the sentencing hearing that ol’ […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Fraud Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be
I never thought I’d ever write the words “egg accountant busted in embezzlement scheme” but here we are. The egg accountant, Jonathan Weston, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh June 3 on charges of fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and tax fraud. According to the U.S. Attorney Office for the Western District of […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Guy Liked Gambling and Porn a Little Too Much
After pleading guilty last February to two counts of wire fraud for stealing more than $1.2 million from his former employer, accountant Christopher May of Paoli, PA, was given 16 months to think about his choices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said: From roughly October 2019 until May 2020, while […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: E Is for Embezzlement, This Lady Is a Wreck, Records Destruction!
Plus, a U.K. accountant is going to spend some time in jail for stealing money from two nursery schools, which she used to treat herself to a new kitchen. Accountant arrested for embezzling $1.2 million from furniture firm [Woodworking Network] Manuel “Mendy” Goldring was arrested on Feb. 18 for allegedly embezzling $1.2 million from Academia […]

Your Naughty Corporate Controller of the Day
When I first started writing for Going Concern as a freelancer in October 2017, I did a series of articles about the role of the corporate controller. Caleb made me asked me to write articles on how controllers transitioned from public accounting to industry, what paths they’ve taken toward SOX compliance, how they can survive […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Pool Guy Gets Jail, Inhumane Behavior, Trouble At the Chicken Farm
Plus, not only did a financial controller in the U.K. get five years for stealing £437,000 from her employer, but she also royally screwed over her co-workers. Accountant sentenced in federal court for embezzling $470K from family-owned business [St. George News] Richard William McDonald, an accountant currently living in Greer, SC, was sentenced on Dec. […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: E Is for Embezzlement, Probation for Thief, Jailed for Bank Fraud
Also, a Texas accountant was sentenced to 10 years of probation for stealing money from a charity, and a U.K. accountant sentenced to three years in jail for defrauding a company pension scheme of £292,000 must repay that money. Kissimmee Accountant Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Funds From Two Different Employers [Justice Department] Kavita L. Harack, […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: PCAOB Fines Australian Firm, Larcenies In Massachusetts, Slammer Time
Plus, a former chartered accountant in India is accused of murder, and a U.K. accountant is jailed for three years for stealing thousands of pounds from car dealership. PCAOB fines Australian accounting firm $50,000, revokes registration for not following auditing rules too well [PCAOB] The PCAOB recently revoked the registration of Sydney-based HLB Mann Judd […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Ex-KPMG Auditor Arrested, Embezzler Gets 5 Years, Fraudster Gets 2 Years
Plus, Australian accountant caught up in cheese scandal, and an accountant in Fiji accused of defrauding a client pleads not guilty. Sipho Malaba arrested in connection with the R2,7 billion VBS Bank robbery [Pindula News] Former KPMG South Africa auditor Sipho Malaba was one of seven people who were arrested on June 17 for their […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: KPMGer’s Racist Facebook Rant, Wife Killer Charged Again, Thankful For the Rona
Plus, serial embezzler sentenced to nearly three years in prison, and United Arab Emirates accountant jailed for money laundering. KPMG distances itself from manager’s ‘racist’ Facebook rant [Trinidad Express] Sachin Boodram, an audit manager at KPMG in Trinidad and Tobago, probably should’ve just stuck to posting selfies, inspirational quotes, and recipes on his Facebook page. […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Boozin’ It Up, Embezzling Old Folks’ Home, Fake Robbery In India
Plus, two bookkeepers—one for a church and the other for an accounting firm—are busted for stealing money. Trainee accountant stole £60,000 from boss to fund six months of hard drinking [Metro] Jake Currie used his job as a trainee accountant to fake invoices and frittered away £40,000 of the money he stole on getting wasted […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Ex-UAW President Charged with Embezzlement, Not Guilty Plea In Theft Case, Tax Fraud Sentencing
Plus, an accountant in India was arrested for secretly recording videos of women taking baths, and an Oklahoma City accountant was sentenced to 18 months in jail for embezzling more than $175,000 from her former employer. Former UAW President Gary Jones charged in U.S. corruption probe [Reuters] Former United Auto Workers President Gary Jones, who […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Golf Club Thievery, Ripping Off Nonprofit, Tax Collector Gets Jail Time
Plus, tax preparers from Louisiana, Mississippi, and New York got into some trouble. Former accountant at Somerby Golf Club in southeast MN charged with stealing $450,000 from business [CBS Minnesota] Gordon Craig Perkins, who was in charge of handling the money, expenses, and bills for Somerby Golf Club in Byron, MN, was charged last week […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Andersen Alum Charged with Fraud, Sentencing Postponed In Nxivm Case, Embezzler Jailed
Plus, a Las Vegas tax preparer pleaded guilty to filing bogus returns, and a New Jersey tax preparer pleaded guilty to tax evasion. Naperville man convicted of theft 25 years ago charged again with swindling woman’s estate [Chicago Tribune] Raymond Parcon, who went to federal prison 25 years ago for embezzling more than $1 million […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Ex-Senator’s Tax Guy Gets 18 Months, Embezzling $65M From Clients, Swindling Chamber of Commerce
Plus, retired Arkansas accountant pleads guilty to bank fraud, and soon-to-be-jailed Wisconsin accountant used stolen tax refunds to buy a hooker and drugs. Accountant who helped Brian Joyce evade taxes sentenced to 18 months in prison [Boston Globe] John Nardozzi, a CPA from Waltham, MA, who conspired with former Massachusetts senator Brian Joyce to cheat […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Discrimination at EY U.K., Jail For Cancer Center Embezzler, Client Scammer Gets Prison Time
Plus, ex-accountant for city of Dunbar, WV, gets one year in prison for embezzlement, and former Suzuki accountant faces a seven-year jail sentence for stealing $1.8 million. EY deals partners accused of bullying and discrimination [Financial Times] Current and former staff in the Transaction Advisory Services team at EY U.K. described a culture they claimed […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: 367 *Years* In Jail, Scamming the Elderly, Wire Fraud Indictment
Plus, Kia Motors bookkeeper’s embezzlement case continued to January, and tax preparer gets 27-month sentence in scheme to defraud the U.S. Accountant sentenced to 367 years in prison [Onlanka.com] A court in Colombo, Sri Lanka, sentenced Hikkaduwa Liyanage Nandasiri, the former accountant of a public company, to 367 years of rigorous imprisonment [emphasis added] after […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: No Jail for PwC Peeper, Guilty Plea for Embezzler, Catholic Church Crook
Plus, no more lavish lifestyle for part-time accountant, and an accountant gets busted for stealing grocery gift cards. High-flying PwC accountant, 24, who was caught with 1,700 upskirting images after he was spotted behaving suspiciously in Topshop on Oxford Street store is spared jail [Daily Mail] Leon Chan got a suspended prison sentence. On Friday […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Ex-KPMG Auditor Detained, Stealing From Clients, Ripping Off Boss
Plus, healthcare accountant sentenced to two years in jail for embezzlement, and tax preparer gets three years for filing fraudulent tax returns. Auditor detained after saying devil told him to kill his sister [Metro U.K.] Khalid Ashraf, who had worked as an auditor for KPMG for eight years until October 2018, pleaded guilty to manslaughter […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Drugs and Sex Trafficking, Bookkeeper Busted for Embezzlement, Visa Fraud
Plus, a bunch of tax preparers are going to be spending some quality time in jail. Kentucky man charged with sex trafficking, drug conspiracy [Associated Press] Mark Milslagle, a former Kentucky accountant accused of paying for sex with young women who were addicted to drugs, faces federal conspiracy charges. Milslagle, 49, was charged on Nov. […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Jailed Over Ponzi Scheme, Firm Fined In Pot Bust, Embezzlement Admission
Plus, tax preparers plead guilty to preparing fraudulent returns, and the owner of a tax preparation business failed to file his own taxes. Gambling accountant gets 14 years for $396M Ponzi scheme [Law360] Texas CPA Jay Ledford will serve 14 years in federal prison for his supporting role in a Ponzi scheme that netted $396 […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Rogue Tax Preparers, Suzuki Theft, Kiddie Porn
Plus, Filipino accountant gets jail time for embezzlement, and a CFO will spend time in a Canadian prison for stealing money to fund her opioid addiction. Former New Haven tax preparer pleads guilty [Justice Department] Devon Williams pleaded guilty on Oct. 2 to one count of aiding and assisting the preparation of a false tax […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: PwCer Fired for Upskirt Pics; Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire; Grand Theft Guilt
Plus, wrongful death lawsuit filed against TV show accountant. PwC accountant fired after 1,700 upskirting images [Financial News] The peeping PwC pervert who Adrienne told you guys about last July no longer works for P. Dubs: An accountant at PwC has been dismissed from the Big Four auditor after he was caught with 1,700 upskirting […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Deadly Lunch Breaks, Embezzler Gets 10 Years, Church Swindler
Plus, tax accountant pleads guilty to scamming clients and a movie production accountant is accused of stealing money from his employer. Police: Lindenwold man’s ‘demeanor’ changed after co-worker’s murder [Cherry Hill Courier-Post] Kenneth Saal, a staff accountant at Engine Group in Princeton, NJ, since July 2016, was taken into custody on a murder charge at […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Stealing From Nonprofit, Stealing From Restaurant, Stealing From Furniture Business
Plus, CPA for reality television stars indicted and accountant arrested for stalking woman. Accounting coordinator at non-profit facing fraud charges for embezzling $321K in organization funds [Justice Department] Danielle Strother-Rush, an accounting coordinator at a Pittsburgh-area nonprofit organization, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh Aug. 6 on charges of bank fraud and […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Ex-CFO Busted For Embezzlement; Fraudulent Timesheets; Ripping Off Client
Plus, an accountant is accused of keeping a domestic slave at his house and an accounting officer is going to jail for swindling his firm out of £3 million. Former Walton Beverage financial officer sent to jail for embezzling company funds [The Bellingham Herald] David McLeod, CPA, the former CFO of Walton Beverage in Ferndale, […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Tax Fraud, ‘Hopelessly Conflicted’ About Ethics, RICO Suave
Let’s see who made the news last week for conduct unbecoming of an accountant. Westchester tax accountant sentenced for tax fraud [Patch] Yorktown Heights, NY-based accountant Steve Sabba was sentenced to five years’ probation on July 18 after he pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal tax fraud and fourth-degree criminal tax fraud, both felonies, in February. […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Insider Trading, Poker Player Gone Bad, Sex Toy Assault
Was there a full moon on July 10? Accountants were found to be doing bad things on that day. Ex-Illumina accountant accused of insider trading [CFO] Martha Bustos, a former accountant for Illumina, was charged on July 10 with leaking the biotech company’s quarterly results to a close friend as part of an insider trading […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Form 941 Shenanigans, Embezzlement, Stealing From Mom
Here are some accountants who failed badly at being a trusted advisor. Delaware County accountant charged with multiple tax offenses [Justice Department] Myles Hannigan, an accountant from Newtown Square, PA, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on July 3 with one count of obstructing the due administration of […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Update on Ex-Wife Basher, Bank Fraud Guilty Plea, Sexual Assault
Let’s see who in the accounting profession got into trouble with the law over the past week or so. Asian accountant, 51, who smashed his ex-wife’s head against a car and called her a ‘bacon basher’ after she began dating a white man is ordered to pay her £150 compensation [Daily Mail] Here’s an update […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: X Factor Winner’s Ex-Accountant Banned, Drunk Driving, Theft
Yes, there actually are accountants who behave badly who don’t work at KPMG U.S. or Deloitte U.K.: X Factor star’s accountant is banned from his profession [Essex Echo] Here’s an update to an article Adrienne wrote earlier this year: A south Essex accountant who defrauded X Factor winner James Arthur of almost £600,000 has been […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Lots of Theft, Ponzi Scheme, Tax Evasion
Here’s a roundup of some bad stuff accountants did or were accused of doing over the past week or so. Auto shop accountant charged with stealing over $175K from employer [Chicago Sun-Times] Rungnapa Correia is accused of stealing more than $175,000 from a Bensenville, IL, auto repair shop she used to work at as an […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Busted with Meth, Stealing From Clients, Bank Fraud
A look at the best of the worst accountant malfeasance around the globe over the past week or so. British accountant, 47, faces the death penalty in the Philippines ‘after being caught with meth in a drugs raid’ [Daily Mail] Philip Joseph was in a flat with two locals when police burst through the door […]

Accountants Behaving Badly: Murder, Webcam Models, Defrauding Celebrities
It was a bad week for accountants from the U.K. with the first name of Andrew. AFC Fylde accountant blew £240,000 on sex, drink and drugs [BBC News] A semi-professional socc … I mean, football team in England nearly went belly-up because its finance director, Andrew Barnbrook, stole thousands of pounds from the team to […]

WTF? CPA Accused of Stealing Over $93,000 from Girl Scouts, Cancer Center
Through the years, Going Concern has chronicled accountants and finance chiefs getting caught doing really shitty things. But if this accountant is found guilty of the charges levied against her, this has to rank among the shittiest of the shitty. From the Los Angeles Daily News: A certified public accountant charged with embezzling more than […]
Here’s a Textbook Case of Dumb People Engaging in Illicit Sexting Spiraling into Extortion, Embezzlement
Where exactly does "sexting extortion" fall on the fraud triangle, anyway? In today's sordid tale of embezzlement gone wrong, we present Shelly Lough of West Virginia. Shelly worked as a Bethany College cashier before a single misdirected text turned her whole life upside down. Usually, the recipient of a text not intended for their number […]
Protip For CPAs: Don’t Embezzle From Your Employer to Pay For Your License Renewal
There is always "that guy" who has to ruin it for everyone. So if next time you go to renew your CPA license, the state board asks you "did you steal from your employer to pay for this license renewal?" you know why: An accountant and finance manager for a local tool and die company […]
Ex-Grant Thornton Partner Sorry for Taking $4 Million That Wasn’t His
Craig Haber, who, after being a partner at Grant Thornton for 11 years, started helping himself to client fees, admitted today that what he did was wrong and he's sure sorry about the whole thing: Craig Haber, who prosecutors said diverted money to his own bank accounts between 2004 and 2012, pleaded guilty to […]
Minnesota Accountant Has Three Years to Think About Life Choices After His Embezzlement Put Father-in-Law Out of a Job
Ronald Schaeffer of Fairbault, Minnesota was the one-man accounting department of Environmental Tillage Systems Inc. He was, in the words of Kevin Born, the company's CEO, the “most trusted employee” at ETS. Disciples of COSO would tell you that this is far from an ideal situation. You know, no segregation of duties and whatnot. This precarious set-up at […]
An Ex-Grant Thornton Partner Has Been Charged with Embezzling $4 Million
Here's an interesting story about a fella by the name of Craig Haber. Craig became a partner at Grant Thornton in 1993. Around 2004, Craig decided to start helping himself to client fees that rightfully belonged to GT. This went on for a while. Approximately $4 million in fees from 2004 to 2012, to be […]
Burn of the Day: NJ Embezzler Pleads Guilty To Not Paying Taxes on Money She Stole
Ouch! According to the DoJ, a former employee of Atlantic County Concrete and Material Co. admitted yesterday evading federal income taxes on nearly $700,000 she received in 2008. Nancy Armienti, 59, of Elmer, N.J., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of tax evasion. According to documents filed in this case and statements […]
Rita Crundwell to Appear in Federal Court Tomorrow with a Long Face
With the ponies, RV, and Thunderbird all gone, the ex-Dixon, Illinois comptroller must have figured that the jig was up: Former Dixon comptroller Rita Crundwell plans to plead guilty Wednesday to a federal fraud charge that alleges she siphoned more than $53 million from the small northwestern Illinois city’s coffers, according to the U.S. Attorney's […]
Pearl Jam Had a CFO?
Yep! And he allegedly stole about $380,000 from the band. King County prosecutors say that Ricky Goodrich swiped the funds from 2007 to 2010, spending it on "lavish family vacations, spa treatments, life insurance and pricey California wines." Luckily for PJ, an accountant discovered the missing money and finally the jig was up. The Seattle […]
Dixon, Illinois Finds Itself in a Bit of Pinch Since, Ya Know, $53 Million Went Missing
Accordingly, Dixon Mayor Jim Burke is putting the brakes on any investigation because "[it] would cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars" and the woman who had the magic credit card is in a bit of trouble. Hey, someone had to apply the tourniquet after the city bled out. [WAND]
This Is Your Last Chance to Own (or Gift!) a Piece of Koss Embezzlement History
As you know, convicted embezzling-mother-of-all-hoarders, Sue Sachdeva, had a bit of a shopping problem. She did her damnedest to spend all of $30+ million that she stole from headphone cobbler Koss, but now that she's resting comfortably in Danbury, all that loot needs a home. Back in December, we were tipped to an auction that […]
Vermont Is a Hotbed of Embezzling Embezzlers
Ahh, Vermont. Foliage, second-rated skiing, and, of course, hippies. But apparently, the Green Mountain should be known for something else – stealing from your employer! According to Marquet International Ltd., Vermont "Vermont topped the list of states with highest risk for loss due to embezzlement in 2011." What's the reason for this? Well, it's not […]
Note: The IRS Does Not Appreciate You Not Reporting Your Embezzlement Gains
Let this serve as a warning to any would-be embezzlers out there, if you steal, you better report it to the IRS.
42-year-old Collette Snyder of Timonium, MD pleaded guilty earlier this month to filing false tax returns in 2007 and 2008 after she neglected to claim over $382,000 embezzled from her former employer, Towson, MD-based Maple Leaf Title.
As part of her duties at the title company, Snyder had signature authority over the company’s operating, settlement and recording accounts, which allowed her to begin embezzling money from MLT accounts starting in 2007. She deposited company checks directly into her personal bank account, as well as made checks payable to her husband without his knowledge, forging his signature to deposit those checks in an account he was not aware of. At that point, Snyder had been an employee of MLT for two years.
Snyder took around $149,560 in 2007 and $232,968 in 2008. These embezzled funds were used to purchase jewelry, a BMW, trips, home improvements and private school tuition.
Because reporting this money to the IRS without it clearly declared on her W-2 (despite her writing “payroll” in the memo section of company checks she wrote out to herself) would have alerted authorities to the fraud, Snyder neglected to mention the ill-gotten gains. This resulted in an estimated tax loss of $115,529.37 for her 2007 and 2008 returns.
Due to the embezzlement by Snyder and MLT President Anthony Weis, MLT was unable to perform its duties as a provider of settlement services. With MLT’s escrow account drained, existing mortgage notes could not be paid off by MLT, meaning clear and free title could not be passed to the new lender and borrower of those notes. An insurance company that had issued title insurance policies to the borrowers guaranteeing clear title ultimately paid out $3.9 million to financial institutions that held mortgage notes.
Weis pleaded guilty to wire fraud, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and was ordered to pay restitution of $4,007,705, which includes the loss to the title insurance company and the expenses of the individual victims. He began his sentence in May of this year. The interesting part of this story is that Weis stole money intended for his clients’ real estate closings. And then Snyder stole from the company. Birds of a feather…
Snyder faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled her sentencing for February 3 , 2012 at 11:00 am.
“Mortgage fraud adds to the underground economy that erodes the integrity of our tax system and threatens the financial health of our communities. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to ‘following the money trail’ to ensure that those who engage in these illegal activities are vigorously investigated and brought to justice,” said IRS – Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jeannine A. Hammett.
Former Payroll Manager for San Francisco Giants Suspected of Embezzlement After Taking a Little Too Much Credit for Team’s Success
A lot of work goes into building a championship baseball team. Good pitching, solid defense and, contrary to some people’s opinion, pinstripes seem to help. What many people easily forget is that there is more to it than just talent on the field. There’s the business aspect of baseball that is essential to every successful team. You can’t just throw a bunch of money around and hope for the best, Steinbrenners. There has to be a plan. The San Francisco Giants, the reigning champs, are one of those teams. Unfortunately for the Giants, they are not impervious to bad luck. Case in point – Robin O’Connor, a former payroll manager for the team, has recently been accused of embezzling more than $1.5 million from the organization. The team was not aware that this misappropriation was happening until someone at Bank of America (Yes.) rang them up with news of a letter they received from Ms. O’Connor, who had recently applied for a home loan and had written a letter explaining two very large deposits into her bank account. Apparently, someone at BofA found the following a little bit out of the ordinary:
“Because of her outstanding contributions to our Major League Baseball team and front office during the 2010 season that assisted us in accomplishing our goal of winning the 2010 World Series, she was given two additional payments of compensation in May 2011,” the letter, quoted in the affidavit, states.
Yes, the correct calculation of federal, state, social security, medicare and other miscellaneous deductions were of such magnitude that it warranted not one but TWO bonuses for Ms. O’Connor. Because if no one gets paid, no one is happy. And unhappy players don’t perform.
Embezzling Accountant Will Pay Back Stolen Money and Pay For the Audit That Caught Him
In aren’t you glad these aren’t your internal controls news, former SDN Communications chief accountant Bradley Whitsell of Sioux Falls, SD pleaded guilty to mail fraud on Monday. The U.S. Attorney’s office states that 46-year-old Whitsell used his various oversight positions to embezzle more than $392,000 over a 10 year period beginning in 2000.
According to court documents, Whitsell used company accounts to pay his credit card bills and pay private school tuition. He also wrote checks to himself, redirected electronic payments to cover his expenses, created company checks on his office printer and requested reimbursement for expenses that already were paid by SDN to pay for various personal expenses, including a large landscaping project at his residence and his country club membership.
Whitsell used access to the company’s accounts payable system to change approved vendors’ names with his own, or with those of companies to which he owed money. He would then print out these checks on his office printer and change the names back to the appropriate vendor in the A/P system.
Whitsell could end up in prison for up to 20 years. He initially pleaded not guilty in June to one count each of Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud, each of which could potentially carry a 20 year sentence and a $250,000 fine. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson states that Whitsell has agreed to pay back the $392,111.65 and will also cover the $84,000 cost of the audit that uncovered his theft.
SDN CEO Mark Shlanta stated officials started noticing “financial irregularities” connected to Whitsell last year, at which time he was put on administrative leave so the company could conduct a forensic audit and internal investigation. Whitsell resigned before the investigation began (hint: red flag). “It’s been embarrassing for me,” Shlanta said. “I’ve been saddened by the events. Really, I felt betrayed in this past year. Brad was someone I hired and trusted.”
The interesting part of this otherwise droll and useless story is that before the house of cards came crashing down all around him, Whitsell served on the City of Sioux Falls audit committee, not only as a member but as its chair.
Back in June, Sioux Falls Councilor Vernon Brown told one SD blogger that Brad Whitsell received high marks from committee members for his work on the Audit Committee in setting up internal controls for city government. Oh the irony.
Whitsell is currently free on bond and returns to court for sentencing November 7th.
Former SDN accountant pleads guilty to mail fraud [HC]
Former SDN executive admits to mail fraud [AL]
Cokehead Accountant Almost Bankrupts His Company By Embezzling His Drug Money
58-year-old Charles Shaffer has been ordered to serve two to four years in prison for stealing nearly $400,000 from his employer to fund a nine-year-long coke habit.
According to testimony, Shaffer stole $381,361 from telecommunications consulting firm Icore Inc. between 2001 and 2010 by writing checks to himself from a medical expense reimbursement employee fund.$381,361 over a nine year period really isn’t that bad of a cocaine habit, unless the guy was buying crap $20 grams from club kids. Think about it… if he was snorting up a really good gram a day at $100 a gram that’s $36,500 a year, but doesn’t take into account high-stress, high-use days like holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and yearly internal audits. Oh wait, obviously they didn’t care about that last one.
“He stole money from Icore, put it up his nose and Icore suffered the consequences,” said Lehigh County Judge Robert L. Steinberg in his decision.
The saddest part of this story (besides the part where the cokehead robs his employer for 9 years and no one seemed to notice) is that Shaffer’s actions very nearly caused the small company, which employs about 15, almost went under had they not had insurance and taken out a loan to stay afloat. “We came pretty close to shutting the doors,” said company VP Paul Kutches in testimony. “(Shaffer) was entrusted to make sure the finances were on the right path.” They were on the right path, alright, straight up his nose. “I would just hope this court imposes a sentence that reminds Mr. Shaffer of stabbing his friends in the back every day,” said Kutches when asked what sort of sentence he’d like to see his former employee receive in this case.
Shaffer started with the company in 1997, however company bank records only go back to 2001. Company officials first contacted investigators in June 2010 when they discovered missing money and Shaffer was arrested the following August. At that time, he signed over his $33,634 company retirement plan and forfeited his $80,000 a year salary.
Now that he’s off the powdered sauce, Shaffer is showing signs of regret for his actions. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t feel remorseful,” he told the judge.
Remember, kids: internal controls are an awesome, awesome thing.
Accountant gets prison for embezzling to buy drugs [Morning Call]
Australian Accountant’s List of Items to Spend Stolen Money on Pretty Typical with the Exception of Sequined Gloves, Autographed Thriller Albums
Rajina Rita Subramaniam seemed to be Down Under version of Sue Sachdeva until I got to “Michael Jackson memorabilia.”
A Sydney accountant is set to plead guilty to defrauding her employer of $45 million [USD 47.9 million] before spending the money on several beachside apartments, champagne, diamond jewellery and Michael Jackson memorabilia.
Rajina Rita Subramaniam was working as a senior accountant with the financial group ING Australia in October 2009 when she was arrested for allegedly siphoning tens of millions of dollars from the company into a number of private accounts.
Police allege that a search of ING’s Kent Street office uncovered a cache of luxury items, including 600 pieces of jewellery from Tiffany & Co, Tag Heuer, Bulgari and Paspaley Pearls, 200 perfume and make-up items from Chanel and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne.
Court told of $45m shopping spree [Sydney Morning Herald]
Man Who Left CFO Job for ‘New Endeavors’ Failed to Mention That His Old Endeavors Involved Embezzlement (Allegedly)
Timothy Mask worked at Flint Hydrostatics for 25 years calling the company “a true blessing in my life.” Not an extraordinary statement, considering many people have strong feelings for the companies they serve but it’s possible that Mask felt that Flint was such a “blessing” because he spent the last twelve years allegedly “stealing” $1.2 million.
Things started unraveling when Tim up and resigned on May 5th, leaving his boss a Dear John letter of sorts:
“Effective immediately, I resign from Flint Hydrostatics, Inc.,” said the letter Timothy W. Mask left on the president’s desk.
“Flint has been a true blessing in my life,” wrote Mask, 46, of Corinth, Miss. “I will always cherish friendships that I have built and my fellow employees. It has just come time for me to move on to new endeavors.”
You see, Kevin Fienup, Flint’s director of business development and secretary, as well as the son of the company’s president, started looking into Mask’s old endeavors and found a number of checks that were made out to Mask and the company’s janitor. Allegedly, Mask would have his assistant cut checks to the janitor (or Mask if the janitor wasn’t available) who would cash them and then place the cash in a locked drawer in Mask’s office. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Fineup “left his office door open and had documents on his desk about the irregular transactions the night before Mask resigned.” One might conclude that Tim saw said documents, figured the jig was up and sat down to write his heartfelt letter.
As for his “new endeavors” it appears that Mask may have been trying to make a break for it, as the Appeal also reports that he had a “two-week vacation to Hawaii” scheduled to start yesterday, had recently sent mail to a passport processing center and had started transferring $200,000 from his 401k. But instead he got arrested which probably kinda threw a wrench into his plans.
Former chief financial officer at Memphis company accused of stealing nearly $1.2 million [MCA]
Sue Sachdeva Was Needlessly Paranoid About Grant Thornton’s Fraud Detecting Abilities
About a year ago at this time, we just started learning about Sue Sachdeva, the convicted embezzler extraordinaire of headphone cobbler Koss. It took a little less than a year for everything to get sorted out including quite the inventory of