A former paralegal in North Carolina has been sent to prison for embezzling over $2 million from the clients of her former law firm. Jennifer Elaine Roarke, 55, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for her crimes.
Roque, who is also known as Jennifer Claveria, worked as a paralegal for a law firm in Hickory from 2007 to 2021. During her employment, she was responsible for opening mail, depositing checks into trust bank accounts, and processing invoices for the firm’s clients, including their trust bank accounts.
Court documents show that Roarke executed the embezzlement scheme by causing at least 190 fraudulent and unauthorized bank wires, totaling more than $2 million, from the law firm’s clients’ trust bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Roarke.
The funds were used to pay for personal items, make mortgage, car, and credit card payments, and to fund an extravagant lifestyle.
On December 1, 2023, Roarke pleaded guilty to wire fraud. She was released on bond but will be ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings prosecuted the case.
The case highlights the importance of trust and accountability in the legal profession and serves as a reminder that those who abuse their positions of trust will be held accountable.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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