Arlene Tranchina, Wire Fraud, Louisiana 2024

A 55-year-old Laplace woman has admitted to swindling her employer out of a staggering $234,000 in a brazen wire fraud scheme.

Arlene Tranchina pleaded guilty to one-count of wire fraud yesterday before United States District Court Judge Wendy B. Vitter in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

According to court records, Tranchina, who served as the office manager for a company in Reserve, Louisiana, embezzled the funds between 2017 and October 2019 by writing over 90 checks for company expenses payable to herself or cash. The scheme also involved the unauthorized use of a company credit card, resulting in over $70,000 in unauthorized purchases.

The shocking extent of Tranchina’s deceit was revealed during a probe conducted by the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Tranchina now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain the defendant or twice the gross loss to the victim, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for November 16, 2021.

U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans praised the efforts of the United States Secret Service and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in bringing Tranchina to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera is leading the prosecution.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of white-collar crime. The people of Louisiana deserve to know that their government is working tirelessly to root out corruption and hold those responsible accountable.

The investigation into Tranchina’s activities is a testament to the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protecting the public and upholding the law.

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