Loretto, Tennessee bookkeeper Kimberly Hodge, 51, is behind bars after a federal indictment exposed a brazen embezzlement scheme that bled over $209,443 from her employer, Integrity Architectural Millwork, in Nashville. Hodge, also known as Kimberly Hughen, surrendered to FBI agents yesterday on charges of three counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
As the company’s trusted bookkeeper, Hodge had access to Integrity’s financial accounts and Quickbooks system, responsibilities she exploited between February 2019 and April 2020. According to the indictment, she orchestrated a series of fraudulent deposits into her personal bank account and funneled money through Integrity’s credit card—pilfering funds under the guise of vendor payments.
The fraud escalated in February 2020 when Hodge forged the signature and name of the company owner to apply for a $150,000 loan. She submitted the owner’s personal information—including a photo of their driver’s license—to a financial institution, falsely claiming the funds were needed for business operations. The loan was intended to cover the gaping hole she’d created in the company’s accounts.
Just two months later, in April 2020, Integrity received $127,447 through the Payroll Protection Program under the CARES Act—federal relief meant to sustain small businesses during the pandemic. Instead of protecting paychecks, Hodge allegedly diverted PPP funds into the company’s operating account to mask her theft, further twisting a lifeline meant for survival into a tool for deception.
Integrity uncovered the fraud in May 2020 and immediately fired Hodge. But the damage didn’t stop there. After her termination, Hodge allegedly attempted to make additional fraudulent purchases using the company’s credit card—proving her greed outlasted her employment. The government now seeks a forfeiture judgment of at least $209,443.63, the total proceeds of the crime.
If convicted, Hodge faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for aggravated identity theft and up to 20 years per wire fraud count, plus a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Fraud Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn W. Booth. The indictment remains an accusation; Hodge is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
RELATED: Kimberly Hodge Indicted in $209K Nashville Embezzlement Scheme
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Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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