Sarah Elizabeth Coffelt, Wire Fraud, WA 2024

SEATTLE – Sarah Elizabeth Coffelt, 42, formerly of Orcas Island, Washington, admitted today to a decade-long scheme to steal over $755,000 from a retired couple and their businesses. Coffelt pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to one count of wire fraud, a crime that carries a hefty potential prison sentence.

Coffelt worked as a bookkeeper for the couple and their entities – Apogee Flight Incorporated, L.L.C. (which owned aircraft and hangars), and the non-profit Heritage Flight Museum – from 2003 until 2016, when she was caught and terminated for theft. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Annette L. Hayes, detailed how Coffelt systematically siphoned funds, transferring money to her own accounts, forging checks, and racking up personal expenses on company credit cards.

The scope of the fraud is staggering. While employed, Coffelt and her husband also owned Moon Glow Arts and Crafts in Eastsound. She brazenly used her employers’ money to fund this side business, along with family vacations, her mortgage, tax obligations, and a shocking $30,000 in fuel charges. The scheme was carefully concealed by intercepting bank and credit card statements, ensuring she was the sole reviewer.

Coffelt didn’t stop there. She exploited a company credit card intended for moderate fuel charges by a maintenance worker, using it to cover over $30,000 in personal expenses while allowing the worker to charge a similar amount, further muddying the waters and delaying detection. The FBI led the investigation, uncovering the intricate web of deceit.

As part of her plea agreement, Coffelt has agreed to pay $755,378 in restitution to her victims, a small consolation for the years of financial damage. However, restitution doesn’t guarantee leniency. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine – the maximum penalty under federal law. U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly has scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2017. The actual sentence will depend on the specifics of the case, the impact on the victims, and Coffelt’s history.

Assistant United States Attorney Susan Roe is prosecuting the case. This case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly trusted individuals can engage in elaborate schemes of financial exploitation, and that federal authorities will pursue justice for those victimized by such crimes.