Charlotte McEwen, 50, of Nashville, Tenn., admitted in federal court yesterday to stealing $466,331 through a calculated wire fraud scheme that gutted her employer for more than three years. The money—siphoned from employee payroll deductions meant for creditors—was rerouted into McEwen’s personal bank accounts in a brazen act of betrayal.
McEwen, the sole Payroll Garnishment Processor at Ingersoll Rand, Inc. (“IR”) in Nashville, exploited her position to intercept funds withheld from employee paychecks pursuant to court-ordered garnishments. Between February 2010 and mid-2013, she executed a series of electronic transfers, diverting $466,331 directly into her own accounts. Each transaction was a deliberate theft of money entrusted to her by both the company and its workers.
To cover her tracks, McEwen forged documentation and submitted false records to IR, creating a paper trail meant to mimic legitimate payroll activity. The fraud went undetected for years, a testament not only to her access but to the depth of her deception. Her role required strict adherence to legal and financial protocols—protocols she systematically violated for personal gain.
On March 16, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted McEwen on eight counts of wire fraud. She entered her guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Aleta Trauger, where she confirmed her role in the scheme. No plea deal has been disclosed, and the full weight of federal sentencing guidelines now looms over her.
Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. McEwen also faces criminal forfeiture of the stolen funds and is ordered to pay full restitution of $466,331. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2017, where Judge Trauger will determine her fate based on federal statutes and sentencing recommendations.
The United States Secret Service led the investigation into McEwen’s actions, unraveling a fraud that undermined the integrity of payroll systems and betrayed the trust of dozens of employees. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski is prosecuting the case for the government, underscoring the federal commitment to holding white-collar criminals accountable—even when the crime unfolds behind a desk.
Related Federal Cases
- Alabama Contractor Sentenced to Nine Years for Wire Fraud · Alabama
- Franklin Insurance Agent Scott Rolin Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud · Tennessee
- Mississippi Entrepreneur Indicted for $1.2M Bank Fraud Scheme · Mississippi
- Knoxville’s Mayra Blair Slammed with 37-Month Fraud & Laundering Sentence · Tennessee
- Kalena Winston Pleads Guilty to $70K Tax Fraud Scheme · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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