⏱ 2 min read
Ashley Benny, the former vice-president of the Cooper County R-IV School Board in Missouri, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for her role in a scheme that defrauded the school district of $385,000. The scam involved a fake investment in a supposedly lucrative overseas ‘standby letter of credit’ that carried no risk of loss. Benny, 41, of Bunceton, Missouri, served as the school board treasurer in 2019 when she suggested the investment, which was actually a scam.
The school district agreed to transfer $385,000 to a company called ‘AgFluent’, which Benny controlled. The investment was a sham, and the school district was defrauded out of $233,000 wired overseas by AgFluent. Benny then helped transfer the remaining funds to pay various other entities and expenses owed by a co-conspirator, including nearly $60,000 for the purchase of two semi-trucks and a $10,000 escrow payment on a failed land purchase deal.
By pleading guilty, Benny admitted to being directly responsible for $146,518 in loss to the school district. Under the terms of the plea agreement, she must pay full restitution to the school district in this amount. The case is a result of the federal government’s efforts to crack down on fraud, including the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud under the leadership of President Donald Trump.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Missouri
- Location: MO
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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