Florida Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Stealing $223,372.51 from Dartmouth College Student Newspaper

CONCORD, NH – In a brazen display of financial mismanagement, Nicole Chambers, 40, pleaded guilty to embezzling over $223,372.51 from The Dartmouth, the daily student newspaper at Dartmouth College.

U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announced the guilty plea, which occurred in federal court in Concord. U.S. District Court Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for August 12, 2024, where Chambers faces up to 20 years in prison.

As the office manager for The D between 2012 and 2021, Chambers had unfettered access to the newspaper’s finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts, and debit card. From April 2017 to September 2021, Chambers systematically stole money from The D, primarily using her access to the newspaper’s PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled.

Chambers also made unauthorized transfers from The D’s Venmo account and used the newspaper’s debit card to make unauthorized purchases. The extent of her thievery was staggering, with a total of $223,372.51 stolen from The D. Chambers spent the ill-gotten gains on personal expenses, including over $20,000 on personal trips and approximately $2,000 to pay fees associated with her husband’s court case in Newport County Superior Court.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation, with valuable assistance provided by the Hanover Police Department and Grafton County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.

Chambers’ guilty plea and impending sentencing serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of embezzlement. As the office manager of a prominent student newspaper, Chambers abused her position of trust to line her own pockets, leaving a trail of financial devastation in her wake.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.