Cindi Allison, 48, Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Embezzling $478,398
A former bookkeeper for two Windermere Real Estate franchises has been sentenced to 71 months in prison for embezzling more than $400,000, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.
Cindi Allison, now of Ben Wheeler, Texas, used her unfettered access to the bank accounts of Windermere Puyallup and Windermere South Sound to embezzle $478,398 between 2011 and 2015.
During a five-day jury trial in June 2017, prosecutors presented evidence that Allison transferred money from Windermere accounts to her own bank accounts and those of her boyfriend, ex-husband, and service providers such as a roofer in Ben Wheeler, Texas.
Between 2011 and 2015, Allison made 782 unauthorized transfers from the two real estate franchise accounts to sixteen different accounts that all had some connection to Allison.
As the bookkeeper, Allison made various entries in the records and strategically bundled various transactions together to make the transfers appear legitimate.
The impact of Allison’s fraud was even greater than the amount of money she embezzled. The victim had to spend more than $50,000 in forensic accounting and attorney fees to uncover the extent of the fraud scheme.
Today, Judge Ronald B. Leighton ordered Allison to pay $630,346 in restitution. Allison has been in custody since being convicted following her trial in June 2017.
U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes said, “This defendant’s greed harmed a small business owner and those who depended on her business for their livelihood.”
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Cindi Allison
Criminal Charges: Six counts of wire fraud
City and State: Tacoma, Washington
Date: June 2017 (sentencing)
Sentence: 71 months in prison and three years of supervised release
Dollar Amount: $478,398 (embezzled amount), $630,346 (restitution amount)
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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