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GAULEY BRIDGE, WV – Crystal Severson, 45, a former administrative assistant at the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, copped a plea today for a brazen little scam. Court papers detail how Severson, between 2016 and 2022, systematically pilfered application fees from folks trying to get licensed as nail techs.
The scheme wasn’t high-tech, but it worked. Severson altered money orders – a total of 20 of them – submitted with licensing applications. She scratched out the rightful payee and replaced it with her mother’s name and address, then pocketed the cash, a total of $1,855. Her own mother was in the dark, and never authorized the theft.
Federal prosecutors say the feds started digging into Severson’s activity back in January 2022 when one altered money order surfaced. She’s now facing up to five years in the slammer, plus restitution for the stolen dough and a possible $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2026.
The IRS-CI and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Storage is handling the prosecution.
RELATED: WV Barber Board Staffer Pilfered Fees
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