ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Nell Cooper Leatherwood, 57, of Bryson City, N.C., was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling $545,707.50 from the Sequoyah Fund, Inc., a tribal economic development organization serving the Qualla Boundary. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger handed down the sentence, which also includes three years of supervised release, a $5,000 special assessment, and full restitution.
Leatherwood, who served as Executive Director of the Sequoyah Fund, Inc. (SFI) from February 2006 through November 2013, exploited her position to siphon funds meant to support underserved Cherokee-owned businesses. Instead of advancing economic growth, she used corporate credit lines and forged checks to finance personal expenses over a four-year stretch, federal prosecutors revealed during sentencing.
Court documents show that from January 2010 to November 2013, Leatherwood charged personal costs to the SFI corporate credit card, allowing the bills to be paid from tribal funds without board approval or knowledge. She also admitted to writing 47 unauthorized checks to herself between December 2012 and November 2013, forging the signatures of board members required for authorization. Those forged checks netted her approximately $65,000 in stolen funds.
In June 2016, Leatherwood pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an Indian tribal organization, one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, one count of access device fraud, and 47 counts of making, uttering, and possessing forged securities. The SFI receives federal and tribal grants, making the misuse of funds a federal offense.
“As the Executive Director of the Sequoyah Fund, Nell Leatherwood was tasked with supporting the economic development of businesses on the Qualla Boundary and providing much-needed financial services to its underserved populations. Instead, she repeatedly misused her access to the fund’s accounts and diverted its limited resources for personal expenses, taking careful steps to cover up her theft,” said U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute public servants who use their positions of power for their own enrichment.”
Leatherwood will report to a federal facility upon designation by the Bureau of Prisons. All federal sentences are served without parole. The FBI led the investigation, with assistance from USDA-OIG. U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the Asheville office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanked the Sequoyah Fund for its cooperation throughout the probe.
Related Federal Cases
- Tribal Firefighter Raymond Neal Swayney Pleads Guilty to Arson-for-Pay Scheme · North Carolina
- Terry and Anglin Indicted in $1.6M Tribal Funds Heist · North Carolina
- Wall Street Bailout: NY & CA Lose $2 Trillion · North Carolina
- AI Fraud: Millions Stolen From Real Artists · North Carolina
- Bot Bucks: NC Man Confesses to Billion-Stream Royalty Heist · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News