MEMPHIS, TN – Misty West, 40, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, is facing a staggering 39-count federal indictment for allegedly pilfering over $400,000 from the Fowler Law Firm in Memphis. The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury and announced today by Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi for the Western District of Tennessee, paints a picture of calculated deception spanning years.
Between August 2011 and July 2016, West, who served as office manager, bookkeeper, and paralegal at the firm located on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, allegedly ran a sophisticated scheme to defraud both the law firm and its owner, Charles Wesley Fowler. The indictment details 38 counts of wire fraud and a single count of interstate transportation of stolen money.
The scheme involved a brazen manipulation of the firm’s finances. West routinely presented Fowler with blank checks drawn on the firm’s Suntrust Bank account, claiming they were for legitimate business expenses. Fowler, trusting his employee, signed the checks without completing the payee or amount. West then allegedly filled in the information, diverting approximately $308,000 to her own Suntrust account to cover personal bills and expenses.
But the alleged fraud didn’t stop there. The indictment further claims West fraudulently obtained a debit card linked to a Suntrust account held under the name “Charles Wesley Fowler, d/b/a, the Candy Factory” – a group of office suites owned by Fowler. West then allegedly used this card to make unauthorized ATM withdrawals, totaling approximately $90,000, without Fowler’s knowledge or consent. She also allegedly used firm funds to pay her cell phone bill, siphoning off another $17,000 via internet transfers.
If convicted on all counts, West faces a hefty prison sentence. The 38 counts of wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. The single count of interstate transportation of stolen funds carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation spearheaded the investigation into West’s alleged crimes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. Andre III is prosecuting the case, aiming to bring West to justice for the alleged betrayal of trust and financial devastation inflicted upon the Fowler Law Firm. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those in positions of trust can be capable of calculated fraud.
RELATED: Paxton Sues Dallas Over Police Funding Ignoring Voter-Approved Proposition U
RELATED: Former San Mateo Resident Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $1.1 Million
Related Federal Cases
- LBS Tax Services Owner, Franchisees Face Tax Fraud Charges · Mississippi
- Misty West Charged with Stealing $400K from Law Firm · Mississippi
- FDIC Assembles New Banking Watchdogs · Washington
- Live Nation & Ticketmaster Face Antitrust Fight in NY · Washington
- Mississippi Entrepreneur Indicted for $1.2M Bank Fraud Scheme · Mississippi
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
