George S. Pace, Wire Fraud, Missouri 2024

ST. LOUIS - George S. Pace, a 63-year-old man from Ladue, has admitted to embezzling over $123,000 from a St. Louis-based non-profit circus.

Pace pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to four counts of wire fraud. He used a credit card to pay thousands of dollars of personal expenses, including payments to nail salons, restaurants, and for skin care treatments.

Pace also used a second card for thousands of dollars more in unapproved expenses, including horseback riding related expenses and payments to restaurants. When another circus official reviewed the second card's expenses, Pace lied and claimed the card had been stolen.

Pace presented the official with forged account statements falsely showing that he had resolved the charges.

Pace also diverted checks drawn on the circus' bank account to himself instead of using them to pay down a line of credit. This diversion caused thousands of dollars in interest to be accrued by the circus.

Pace deposited thousands of dollars of donor checks made out to the circus into his personal account. In the plea agreement, Pace admitted defrauding the circus out of over $123,015.94.

Pace was on the board of directors beginning in 2020 and later became board president. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4.

Each wire fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. The FBI investigated the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/former-official-admits-embezzling-st-louis-circus