Jennifer Elaine Roarke, Wire Fraud, North Carolina 2021

A North Carolina paralegal has been charged with embezzling over $1.5 million from the clients of a law firm where she worked.

Jennifer Elaine Roarke, 54, of Hickory, N.C., was indicted on wire fraud charges for allegedly embezzling more than $1.5 million from the clients of a law firm in Hickory, North Carolina.

According to the indictment, Roarke, who is also known as Jennifer Claveria, misused her access and position with the law firm to embezzle funds from the trusts of the law firm's clients between 2015 and 2021.

Roque allegedly used the embezzled funds to pay for personal items, make mortgage, car, and credit card payments, and to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

Roque is currently facing charges and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassye Cole with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.

The investigation into Roarke's alleged crimes was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina.

U.S. Attorney Dena J. King praised the FBI for their work in bringing the charges against Roarke.

Roque has been accused of making hundreds of unauthorized wire transfers from bank accounts associated with the law firm's clients' trusts into bank accounts controlled by her.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/paralegal-charged-embezzling-15-million-law-firms-clients