Sandra Ball, Wire Fraud, West Virginia 2015

In a stunning case of employee theft, Sandra Ball, 58, of Hurricane, West Virginia, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for defrauding her employer of nearly $450,000, United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced yesterday.

Huntington, W. Va. - Chief United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence on Ball, who pleaded guilty to two felony counts of wire fraud in March 2015.

From 2008 through 2013, while working as an auditor for Mountaineer 4x4, Ball made hundreds of Internet transactions in which she used her employer’s checking account to pay for personal items and expenses.

The case was a result of an investigation conducted by the Hurricane Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the investigation, Ball used her position as an auditor to make unauthorized payments from Mountaineer 4x4’s checking account, totaling nearly $450,000.

In addition to prison time, Ball was ordered to repay more than $445,000 to Mountaineer 4x4, a Hurricane business that deals in accessories for trucks and SUVs.

The case was prosecuted as part of U.S. Attorney Goodwin’s effort to combat employee theft from West Virginia businesses. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution.

The sentencing of Ball serves as a warning to employers and employees alike of the dangers of employee theft and the consequences of such actions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdwv/pr/woman-sentenced-federal-prison-defrauding-hurricane-business