SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A shocking case of corporate greed has come to light as Christopher Firle, 51, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert today.
According to court documents, Firle was the Chief Financial Officer of a holding company that managed several vehicle dealerships. From January 2016 through September 2019, Firle misappropriated over $1.6 million from the company, using various schemes to carry out his embezzlement.
One of the ways Firle embezzled funds was by using company credit cards to pay for over $750,000 in personal expenses. These unauthorized charges included tickets to sporting events and purchases at several retail stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Chanel, Hermès, Nordstrom, and Tiffany & Co.
Firle also initiated over 30 unauthorized wire transfers from the company to a family member. Those transfers totaled over $500,000. In addition, Firle issued over 30 unauthorized company checks to himself that totaled over $165,000, and he withdrew over $50,000 from a company account without authorization.
Furthermore, Firle issued himself excess bonus payments totaling almost $160,000. This egregious case of corporate theft has left many wondering how such a blatant scheme went undetected for so long.
This case is a product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
As part of his guilty plea, Firle agreed to pay restitution of $1,937,706 to his former employer. He also agreed to forfeit $1,652,269.44 to the United States.
Firle faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Related Federal Cases
- Christopher Furman, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering, Pennsylvania 2009 · California
- McKenzie Marie Earley, $10M Wire Fraud, C.D. California, 2023 · Alaska
- Amy Evangelista, Tax Fraud, California 2023 · Alaska
- Federal Regulators, Lifel, Securities Fraud, California 2020 · New York
- Consuelo “Connie” Puente, Wire Fraud, CA, 2023 · Alaska
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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