Former Office Manager Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling $1.2M from Louisiana Business

The former office manager of a business headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after being convicted of embezzling more than $1 million from her employer.

United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin reported that Katherine S. Dyson, age 65, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison following her wire fraud conviction. Dyson also was sentenced to two years of supervised release following her prison term and ordered to pay $1,232,075 in restitution to the victims.

According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Dyson was employed by Mattress Direct as the office manager of its corporate headquarters in Baton Rouge, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported. As office manager, she had administrative access to the company’s financial software. Between June of 2012 and December of 2018, she fraudulently diverted over $1.2 million for her own personal use and benefit through approximately 364 checking transactions.

As part of her wire fraud scheme, Dyson prepared and printed company checks in QuickBooks made payable to herself and another individual, in amounts ranging between $1,500 and $4,000. She would then forge the company treasurer’s signature and deposit the checks into a bank account that she controlled with another individual. After depositing the checks, Dyson would gain control over the funds and spend them on various personal expenses, items and recreational activities.

This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Dippel, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana

Topics USA Louisiana