Couple sent to federal prison for embezzlement charge
Posted on Wednesday, October 3, 2007
BENTONVILLE — A Seneca, Mo., couple were sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for embezzling almost $ 200, 000 from their former employer.
William F. Williams, 56, and Victoria L. Williams, 50, pleaded guilty in May to money laundering, according to a news release issued by John Wood, the U. S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri. The couple admitted to embezzling $ 196, 361 from Hendren Chevrolet-Pontiac in Noel, Mo. The crime occurred from 1989 until 2001 while William Williams was employed as the dealership sales manager and his wife was the office manager and bookkeeper for the business, the news release states.
The couple appeared in court Sept. 27 for sentencing before U. S. Chief District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan Jr.
According to the release, the couple intercepted checks made payable to Hendren and used the money for their personal use. They admitted in court that they deposited checks made payable to Hendren into their personal bank account. Victoria Williams also embezzled money from the dealership by writing checks payable to different vendors, then depositing those checks into her bank account, the press release states.
The money fraudulently obtained by William and Victoria Williams was transferred into their joint checking account, then transferred again to a GMAC demand account, according to the release. The money was kept in the GMAC demand account until after the scheme was discovered by Hendren management, the release states.
Following the discovery of the scheme by Hendren management, most of the money in the GMAC demand account was transferred into the Williamses’ savings account, and the next day, the money was transferred by wire transfer to another bank account, which is the basis of the moneylaundering charge to which the couple pleaded guilty, the press releases states.
The couple were sentenced to 21 months in federal prison without parole. They were also ordered to pay $ 196, 361 to the dealership.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Richard Monroe and investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Newton County (Mo. ) Sheriff’s Office.
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